Full Circle
by Shun'u
Summary: [AU: Sequel to Prelude] Everyone knows that the Shikon Jewel is wanted by Youkai and Human alike for its legendary powers... but how can its powers be twisted in the hands of one as devious as Naraku?
1. What Went Before, Comes Again

Full Circle [1] What Went Before, Comes Again

**DISCLAIMER:** All Inuyasha characters are the creation of, and © to Rumiko Takahashi, and subsequent parties. Full Circle is the creation of my demented mind, and © to [Shun'u Hanashiro][1] 2000-2001.

**Author's Notes:** _Italicized_ text (or //) can indicate private/unvoiced thoughts – or – flashback sequences. Colons [::] indicate insinuated thoughts by another character into one's subconscious. Be forewarned that all of the events prior to tankouban 14 of the manga are up for grabs in this story.

**May 2000**

**F U L L ****• C I R C L E**

**An Inuyasha Fanfiction**

By [Shun'u Hanashiro][1]

Deep within a castle somewhere in Japan and sometime during Sengoku Jidai, a shadowy figure plotted the downfall of his nemesis. And in 20th century Tokyo, a young girl sitting with her friends on her school lawn shivered despite the late summer sun beating upon her back. She felt as if Death had just brushed his long fingers across her shoulder blades…

** **

**Part 1: What Went Before, Comes Again**

** **

_Sengoku Jidai…_

Late summer was a lovely, lazy, sleepy time of year. There was nothing that couldn't wait for another day, nothing that had to be rushed. Even mosquitoes seemed to take their time floating from person to person, seeking just the right blood. Kagome had always loved this season, but she had never truly appreciated it until she had fallen through the Bone Eater's Well and begun her quest for the Shikon no Tama with the half-breed youkai Inuyasha. Ever since then, she had felt as though she were being pulled into four different directions without knowing which one to follow. It was disconcerting, to say the least, when she had to travel back and forth through time, essentially leading two lives.

Which was exactly why she was taking her time drowsing on the riverbank and listening to Inuyasha, Shippou, and Miroku bicker in the background. Correction. Inuyasha and Shippou were arguing; Miroku was playing referee and keeping score of their points based on who garnered the most reaction with his insults. Kagome listened to them with half an ear and let her eyes droop closed. It was a beautiful day.

**********

At last, the Shikon no Tama was almost complete. Naraku stared at the nearly perfect opalescent sphere held between his thumb and forefinger, smugness written across his face, and began to laugh. His voice echoed throughout the dimly lit castle. A bored guard down the hall wondered what his gloomy master had found to be so amusing.

"One more. One more shard and the jewel will finally be complete," Naraku said to himself. "Then, Inuyasha, you will learn what it means to cross me, Naraku. I will begin with the ones you hold closest to your heart…" Naraku chuckled some more.

He carefully pocketed the jewel, a plan already brewing in his agile mind. Naraku went to a small cabinet made of dark polished wood. Small drawers with golden handles lined the cabinet from top to bottom, four across, and five down. Naraku selected the first drawer in the upper left hand side and pulled out a sheaf of yellowed fibrous paper. Written in tiny, cramped, precise handwriting were instructions on how to create an Air Rip. Naraku smiled an unpleasant smile. He had stolen this from an old enemy many decades ago. That enemy was dead. And soon, very soon, so would Naraku's most provoking opponent in fifty years.

**********

"Rin, stay here," Sesshoumaru told the rambunctious five-year old trailing after him.

Normally, she would have listened to him instantaneously, however, the little girl was being more obstinate than usual. She followed like a tiny shadow. Sesshoumaru frowned. He knew the reason why Rin was behaving the way she was. Dropping down on one knee, Sesshoumaru placed his hands on Rin's tiny shoulders and waited for her to look at him.

When she did, he said, "I am only going to say this one time." Putting just the right touch of steel in his voice, Sesshoumaru continued, "I will find Kagome and bring her to visit you, but you are not going to come with me. I want you to wait here and heed Jaken. Is that clear?"

His heart came dangerously close to melting when he heard Rin sniffle. Luckily, he had plenty of youkai blood to counter this strange compassion that Rin and Kagome had somehow inflicted on him. Not giving any ground, for he knew that to do so would only result in his taking Rin along to find Kagome, Sesshoumaru waited patiently for Rin to acquiesce. It was not that he would have minded the child's company, but he did not want Rin to be around if Inuyasha were to attack without thinking. His brother could be a hot-tempered idiot at times.

Finally Rin nodded and said, "I promise. Will you come back soon Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Yes."

"And you'll bring Oneechan with you?"

"Aa."

"Can I come with you to get Oneechan?"

"Rin."

"Hai?"

He stared her down. Rin didn't even flinch, which mildly worried Sesshoumaru in the back of his mind. _Did that girl have a contagious disease that made her unable to feel fear?_ More importantly, _did she contaminate Rin?_

It was a contest of wills, with Sesshoumaru as the victor. So it was that he found himself trekking back to the village that neighbored the Bone Eater's Well a week after having left there. He was in a dark mood the whole way.

_I'm losing my touch._

**********

He found her sleeping by the river with Inuyasha, the kitsune, and the monk quite a distance away. Detachedly, Sesshoumaru wondered if they had any idea of the kind of dangers the girl could be in while they were unaware. If it had been more than a month past, he might have killed her without hesitation. Quietly, softly he approached Kagome on light feet that barely made any impression on dry summer grass. Kagome's eyes shot open when his shadow fell over her, cutting off her source of warmth.

**********

Naraku smirked. They were making things too easy for him. He observed the pair, Kagome and the youkai, Sesshoumaru, from his vantage point high in the upper branches of a tall leafy tree. Even from such a distance, Naraku had cloaked his presence as much as possible, not trusting that Inuyasha would not surprise him again with his untimely luck. Now he was thankful for his precaution, as Sesshoumaru would definitely have known he was there even if Inuyasha had not. He frowned upon this thought. Sesshoumaru was an elusive character. Naraku had not been able to gauge his strengths yet, but that was not from lack of trying. Simply put, he had no idea what Sesshoumaru was capable of, and that made him wary of the youkai lord. Given that Inuyasha had been able to surprise him consistently in their battles, Naraku did not want to touch what Sesshoumaru could do when tested to his limits.

Breaking off his morose thoughts, Naraku searched the ground with senses made sharp by the Shikon no Tama's proximity. He found where Inuyasha was with the houshi and kit. They weren't even aware of Sesshoumaru yet, the fools. Naraku was fine with that. It would help his cause if they were caught by surprise.

Now, it was time for him to test the Shikon no Tama's powers.

**********

"Inuyasha, you jerk!" Shippou screamed at the dog demon that was currently suspending him in the air by his sensitive tail. "Let go of my tail!"

"Fine." Inuyasha did not hesitate to drop Shippou.

The kitsune landed on his face, eating dirt, and promptly jumped back up to attack Inuyasha's equally sensitive ears. Miroku spoke from his perch on a log.

"Point goes to Inuyasha. Score's 25-23," he tallied using his fingers. "Shippou, you may win another five points if you can get Inuyasha to cry."

"What the fuck," Inuyasha exploded. He was pulling at Shippou to get the kitsune out of his hair, and away from his ears, to no avail as the kitsune was well and truly angry. "Stop encouraging him, Miroku!"

Shippou continued to gnaw on Inuyasha's head.

Miroku yawned. "But there's nothing else to do, and you guys are pretty good at distracting me." Inuyasha growled deep in his throat, sounding eerily like a wolf. Unfortunately for him, Miroku was getting pretty good at ignoring his bluster. "If only Sango-sama were here, then I could pursue my greatest wish." Sigh. "To have the honor of having a child with Sango-sama... or even better, to have one with Kagome-sama…"

Shippou and Inuyasha swiveled their heads and screamed simultaneously, "Get your head outta the gutter!"

Miroku sweated when they gave him their full attention. He decided to change the subject. "So, Inuyasha, what're we going to do now that Naraku has all of the shards?"

"We're going to find that cowardly bastard and get them back, is what we're going to do." With a determined gleam in his eyes, Inuyasha cracked his knuckles.

"But how?" Shippou hopped onto Inuyasha's convenient shoulder, prior grudges forgotten for the moment. "He always sends his lackeys and runs away when we're this close." He demonstrated how close by pinching his tiny child-sized fingers together.

And that was the crust of their problem. It wasn't very difficult to find Naraku, but every time that they did, something or someone would intervene, and Naraku would take the opportunity to escape. Frustrating was the mildest way of putting it. Miroku sighed.

"Let's go back to Kagome-sama," he said. And they were going to, if it weren't for the sight that met their startled eyes. All three of them gaped to see Kagome sitting and, if their eyes didn't deceive them, talking to Sesshoumaru. Miroku heard Inuyasha's growl and yelled, "Wait," too late.

**********

"Yes, Inuyasha," Naraku could practically taste the dog demon's fury. "Go kill your brother. Do my work for me, you ignorant pup. And when you're done, I'll take care of you and that meddlesome houshi."

**********

The trip from waterside to Kagome was approximately a hundred meters long. Inuyasha made it to her in less than five seconds. Concern for her and long festering anger at his cold-blooded half-brother warred within Inuyasha, making him slightly less reasonable than usual. If Kagome's reaction to his appearance was any indication, he was practically frothing at the mouth.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked hesitantly.

"Kagome, get away from that bastard," he ordered flatly.

She was taken aback by his tone, and worried by the way the whites of his eyes were turning pinkish. As if blood saturated them. He was turning into his youkai form before her. She glanced at Sesshoumaru to determine his reaction, but the youkai was oddly still. Quickly thinking of a way to avoid a fight, Kagome spoke to Inuyasha in a soothing voice.

"Inuyasha, please calm down."

"I said, get away from that bastard, Kagome." He repeated. Not about to give any more warnings, Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga out of its saya. Sesshoumaru stirred. Inuyasha glared at him with eyes gone crimson. "I won't let you hurt her, Sesshoumaru. Not like you hurt us."

**********

Naraku's violet eyes gleamed with malice. The Shikon no Tama was bright and hot, cupped in his palms, and exuding an iridescent light. Sitting on a thick branch, he was hunched over the jewel, hair falling into his face, shoulders tense, and mind completely focused. In the distance Inuyasha's fury grew in proportion to the jewel's intensity. Naraku's smile widened.

The power of the Shikon no Tama was intoxicating, sweet and sharp like wine. Ribbons of energy coursed through Naraku's veins, making him light-headed and giddy. Drunk. Vaguely, Naraku thought that the jewel was almost seducing him, but he brushed that thought aside. It was an inanimate thing, with no sentience. But if this were the incomplete jewel's power, what would it be like once he had the whole thing?

**********

"What the hell is he doing?" Miroku muttered as he raced Shippou to the dueling youkai.

Shippou gasped and answered helpfully with, "I don't know. But it doesn't look good."

"Has Inuyasha ever attacked Sesshoumaru like this before?"

"No." Shippou leaped over a boulder and leveled with Miroku. They were halfway to Inuyasha who was facing off with Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha had just drawn Tetsusaiga and was speaking to his brother, but he wasn't speaking loud enough for them to hear his words. "It was always Sesshoumaru who started the fights."

"Not this time…" A surge of power made the houshi's scalp tingle. Gasping and falling to his knees, Miroku fought with a bout of dizziness. Shippou skidded to a halt and returned to help his friend.

"What's the matter?"

"I, ugh, something's wrong."

"No kidding!" Shippou was anxious; the sound of clashing swords had begun.

"Not that," Miroku whispered weakly. He grabbed his head between his hands and groaned in pain. "There's something else, someone out there."

"What?" Finally taking the houshi's words seriously, Shippou scoured the surrounding forest for any signs of danger. His fox ears and nose twitched when he felt what Miroku was talking about. "Shit."

"Yeah," Miroku was surprised into a laugh. The dizziness was fading, but tingling remained. "Do you see anything?"

"No," Shippou frowned. Fear crept along his skin. "Let's get to Kagome. I have a terrible feeling about this. It's probably what's causing Inuyasha to go ballistic." Miroku had a bad premonition that Shippou was right.

**********

Kagome was having her own problems. It was supposed to have been a simple day. She was just quietly sleeping and enjoying the sun. The others were goofing off as usual. _Why isn't anything simple anymore?_

When she had woken up to see Sesshoumaru blocking the sun overhead, Kagome hadn't been too surprised. That in itself was a surprise, because at one time she would have screamed her head off upon seeing his elegant face so close to her. Instead, she sat up and listened to what he had to say. Again, he surprised her. It was a recurring experience with this unpredictable youkai.

**********

_Flashback…_

"Sesshoumaru-san?"

"I take it that you are neither angry nor do you want anything from me."

Kagome flushed and sat up. She chastised him with, "And good afternoon to you too."

Unfortunately for her, Sesshoumaru didn't have an apologetic bone in his body. He shrugged indifferently. "There is nothing particularly good about it." Kagome glared at him. He continued smoothly, "But if you insist, I suppose that the sun is brighter, and the air is fresher than usual." He was rewarded for his conciliatory effort with a chagrined smile from Kagome.

"So what brings you here, Sesshoumaru-san?" A terrible thought occurred to her. "Rin is okay, isn't she?"

"Rin is fine. In fact, she is running around, picking on Jaken, thanks to you, and basically making my life miserable with her damned hyperactive hide." Sesshoumaru glared at Kagome and said, "And she refuses to leave me alone, constantly asking for her Oneechan."

"Er…" Kagome didn't know how to respond to that long list of complaints.

"You could help by visiting her," he said. Kagome felt like she had just been run over by a juggernaut.

She finally found her voice, and said, "You want me to visit?"

"Visit Rin," he made sure that she understood that fine point. A little bemused, Kagome just stared up at him.

_End Flashback…_

**********

That was when Inuyasha had interrupted them. Now the brothers were fighting. That was not unusual, but what was, was that Inuyasha had been the one to instigate the fight this time instead of the other way around. Something was terribly wrong. Kagome felt that in her bones as surely as she was human. Desperate to stop Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha for hurting each other over a misunderstanding, Kagome tried to reason with them.

"Inuyasha, stop it! He wasn't doing anything," she yelled at the half-youkai.

"Stay out of this Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled back at her. He was not about to listen to reason. Already his voice was deepening and gaining that gravely quality that it had when he was transforming. "This bastard would have hurt you if he had the chance. I just stopped him before he did."

Inuyasha turned his shoulder and brought the transformed Tetsusaiga up just in time to stop Sesshoumaru's downward strike. The two strained against each other, swords held at angles and locked at the hilts. Their feet were leaving grooves in the dry earth from where they had planted themselves. Kagome could see the strain on Inuyasha's face from Tetsusaiga's weight. Ever since Toutousai had re-forged it, the sword was heavier and Inuyasha had as yet to become used to its weight.

"But Inuyasha!"

"Stay out of this, bitch," Inuyasha snarled back.

Shocked and hurt despite herself, Kagome flinched. Seeing that he could not be reasoned with, she turned to Sesshoumaru to see reason. "Sesshoumaru-san, please tell him this is all a mistake."

"…" He didn't act as if he heard her at first, making Kagome worry that there was no hope of stopping the pointless battle, and then he said, "Inuyasha, put the fang down."

"Who do you think you're fooling?" Inuyasha challenged him. "Don't you think I know that if I do that, you'll take advantage?"

It was the wrong thing to say. Sesshoumaru snarled and bared his fangs. His voice was vicious when he spoke. "You," he made the simple word sound like a curse, "have no concept of honor."

Sesshoumaru twisted his grip and slid Tenseiga off of Tetsusaiga just as he flipped out of reach. Inuyasha dropped his sword and gasped for breath, but continued to glare after his opponent. Kagome looked on with wide eyes. Miroku and Shippou had finally reached her, but they did not have time for questions, as Sesshoumaru was not done with what he had to say yet. He simply would not, could not, stop the words from pouring forth. Decades of locking them away, and in a single unguarded moment, he could no longer contain them. Sesshoumaru was detachedly disgusted at himself.

"Inuyasha…" he said. "You always thought you knew everything. Ever since you were but a child, always, you were judgmental and accusing. But you know nothing about me." The last was spoken softly, tragically, coldly.

Inuyasha's eyes flared. His response was swift, raw and bleeding like an open wound. "Don't talk to me about honor," he screamed. "You. You are the one who killed our father. You are the one who caused my mother to die from heartache. You're the one who abandoned us!"

Kagome's heart stopped; she swayed on her feet, feeling pain buffet her on all sides, relentless, unforgiving, and so fresh. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were cutting each other up with words.

**********

Naraku was more than satisfied. In fact, if he were capable of joy, then that was what he was feeling as he watched Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's destined confrontation. The jewel pulsed in time with his heartbeat.

"Yes, Inuyasha. Do you feel the pain; do you remember those lonely nights crying in the dark? Remember Inuyasha? That day, that day that Sesshoumaru killed your father, was the beginning of your nightmare."

**********

Inuyasha screamed at Sesshoumaru even as tears spilled. His, hers, or someone else's, he did not know. They blurred his vision as he charged at Sesshoumaru with Tetsusaiga raised to his right shoulder and level with the ground. Bringing his own sword up, Sesshoumaru knew that a deep rage had taken seed in his brother. But that anger was just as well. It was time that the truth was revealed.

**********

"No, no, no," Kagome gripped her knees and chanted the words repeatedly. Tears flowed hot and never-ending from between her tightly shut eyelids. Distantly, she could not understand her own behavior. Sesshoumaru needed help, and Inuyasha needed to be stopped. The entire situation was a complete turnaround from the norm, bizarre, but even more so, was the fact that she felt such immense aching pain from seeing them fight. Kagome was nearly paralyzed by her own inexplicable intensity of emotion.

Miroku knelt by her in growing concern. He had never seen Kagome react in such a way before, and it bothered him on many levels, some of which he would not broach for fear of losing his self-formed illusions.

"Kagome-sama," he tentatively touched her shoulder, almost afraid that she would push him away and call him a pervert again. Kagome didn't. She fell into his surprised arms and cried into his shoulder. His arms encircled her of their own volition. Miroku closed his eyes to hide his guilty pleasure, his pain, and his secrets.

"Make them stop," she cried. "Please, Miroku-sama, make them stop hurting each other."

He flinched at the mention of the combating brothers. _Always, it is about them._ Miroku pushed aside his personal interests. He needed to warn her of the danger. "Kagome-sama, there is something behind this. Someone is out there causing this."

"What do you mean?" she asked. Blurry and huge in a pale face, her eyes lit on his.

Shippou, who had been quiet and observing Miroku, spoke up. "There's something wrong with the way Inuyasha's acting, Kagome. I know he's a jerk but he wouldn't pick a fight with Sesshoumaru if he were in his right mind. Heck, no one would unless they wanted to commit suicide."

"'Unless they wanted to commit suicide.'" Kagome quoted.

A whisper of power tickled at her imbalanced senses. Those words triggered something in her mind, opened a door she had been ignoring all morning, and Kagome felt it: the Shikon no Tama. Unerringly, Kagome looked into the trees and spotted a recognizable baboon pelt. Miroku and Shippou followed her gaze in dread. 

**********

Naraku cursed the interfering and frightening girl. She would ruin his plans yet again, if he did not do something quick. Naraku chuckled. Well, he would do something all right. Nothing would stop him this day.

"Come now Inuyasha, let us take a walk down memory lane. Surely you haven't forgotten what it felt like to kill the one you love."

The jewel flashed brilliantly, shifting colors in rapid succession. And yet, somehow, it was always a little gray around the edges of that brilliance: tainted.

[End Part 1]

**Definitions:**

**Sengoku Jidai:** Japan's "Era of the Warring States", this was a feudal period in which clans across Japan battled for domination and land.

**Youkai:** demon

**Shikon no Tama:** "Jewel of Four Souls" Breaking down the Japanese words, this is literally [FOUR SOUL(s) (particle indicating possession) JEWEL/SPHERE/BEAD], however one must use a lot of context clues when translating Japanese. =P

**Houshi:** wandering monk? … I have to look this up. (Gomen ^^;)

**Oneechan:** used to address an older sister with fondness, or can be used with a slightly older female you are close to and speak casually with.

**Hai:** literally "yes", this is an expression of agreement that can be translated many ways.

**Aa:** expression of agreement… I think only men are supposed to use this… not sure though.

**Saya:** a sword sheathe

   [1]: mailto:h_shunu@hotmail.com?subject=Full%20Circle



	2. The Final Confrontation

Full Circle [2] The Final Confrontation

**DISCLAIMER:** All Inuyasha characters are the creation of, and © to Rumiko Takahashi, and subsequent parties. Full Circle is the creation of my demented mind, and © to [Shun'u Hanashiro][1] 2000-2001.

**Author's Notes:** _Italicized_ text (or //) can indicate private/unvoiced thoughts – or – flashback sequences. Colons [::] indicate insinuated thoughts by another character into one's subconscious. Be forewarned that all of the events prior to tankouban 14 of the manga are up for grabs in this story.

**May 2000 **

**F U L L ****• C I R C L E**

**An Inuyasha Fanfiction**

By [Shun'u Hanashiro][1]

**Part 2: The Final Confrontation**

** **

_Sengoku Jidai…_

The world is an ever-changing place; nothing remained stagnant, stationary for long. To remain unchanging, would be the equivalent of true death, an unliving state, for even in dying, one is changing. But most changes were subtle, gone unnoticed because they took so very long to occur. A little at a time, a rock is chipped at, brushed by the wind or submerged in water, and gradually it is eroded into dust. No one notices until they no longer trip over that little stone that always jutted out of the wooded path, the one that they ineffectually cursed at every morning when they went for their daily walk. Such is the way of nature: mysterious, quiet, ephemeral.

And yet, there are those moments in history when a change takes place that is so grand, so expansive in nature, that it is obvious to even the most dull-witted of people.

An explosion of earth and rocks would be one of those things.

**********

"Chikushou!"

Inuyasha snarled when his strike completely missed Sesshoumaru, who had inexplicably managed to reappear behind him. The resulting star-spray of dirt only obscured his vision.

::Behind you.::

He spun a complete three-sixty. Sesshoumaru's curling claws were dripping poison mere inches away from his face.

::Too slow.::

Inuyasha scrambled backwards, but not before a few drops of the acidic clear fluid landed on his pink haori and sizzled, eating through sturdy, woven, fire rat's fur and biting into his flesh. The tiny wounds stung enough to make Inuyasha wince, but also served to boost his determination.

"So…" Sesshoumaru stopped his rapid-fire attacks and regarded his huffing brother through narrow eyes. He wasn't even winded. "Do you think that you've improved? Show me, Inuyasha. Show me that you've learned how to use Tetsusaiga to its full ability; otherwise you have no right to claim Chichiue's legacy."

"Bastard," Inuyasha strained to lift Tetsusaiga. "I don't have to prove myself to you."

Sesshoumaru arched his eyebrow. "That is where you are wrong, Inuyasha. You do."

"Shut-up and fight!"

Tetsusaiga moved incredibly fast. Sesshoumaru did not expect the move. He shifted, but was caught in the shoulder with a glancing blow that would have bisected a lesser demon. As it was, his bone armor shattered and fell to the ground in a myriad of useless pieces. Now he was mad. He was getting tired of replacing his armor. Sesshoumaru snarled, a sound that began deep in his chest, snaked upward out of his throat to escape from between thin lips, and drew Tenseiga from its saya. Inuyasha smirked. His arrogant brother was finally beginning to take him seriously. The two wolves circled each other.

**********

From their positions atop a hillock, Kagome, Shippou, and Miroku were in various stages of concern. None of them could do anything to stop events from unfolding. Kagome held Shippou in her arms as they watched, and the little kitsune was uncharacteristically quiet. Miroku was not so worried about Inuyasha as he was about Naraku who was watching everything from his tree. The malevolent youkai was a sore in their side, always appearing to cause trouble and havoc, but Miroku had other reasons for hating him; Naraku had been the one to curse his father, and then him with the Air Rip. And soon, if the Air Rip were not cured, he would die as his father had before him, an ignominious death resulting from being pulled into the Air Rip. Yes, Miroku had many scores with Naraku that had to be cleared.

**********

_What am I doing here? It isn't as if they would have any answers. Could it be that I still care, even after that girl took my life from me? No… that is wrong. I know better. It isn't her fault at all that she is my reincarnation… but… I can still hate her for living my life._

Kikyou let her feet decide where to go, releasing conscious physical control over to a clay body that somehow retained muscle memory from her real body that had died fifty years ago. She was tired. It wasn't just a physical ache that she could deal with; rather, it was more of an emotional drainage that left her feeling hollow.

_I shouldn't even be feeling. Not if Kagome had taken everything from me, leaving me with only my dying hatred. So why? Why am I sad?_

**********

::Weakling. Useless half-breed. You can't even avoid a simple attack as that? Why do you always fall for the simplest tricks?::

"Ugh," Inuyasha shook his head, trying to dislodge that irritating voice in the back of his mind. But it was too late. The voice had distracted him from his adversary, a critical mistake. Tenseiga clipped a lock of Inuyasha's hair, nicking his right ear and drawing blood.

"Pay attention," Sesshoumaru said.

::You let him intimidate you, just like when you were a child.::

"Shut up!" Inuyasha screamed.

Sesshoumaru reacted to the confusion in his half-brother's voice. Inuyasha had not been speaking to him. There was something else happening besides Inuyasha's usual violent reaction to him, something under-handed. If there was anything that Sesshoumaru despised more than being upstaged, it was being manipulated. Whoever this hidden foe was, he was about to learn a painful lesson.

**********

Naraku knew the moment Sesshoumaru suspected his interference. The youkai lord no longer focused on Inuyasha, letting himself react naturally and dodging by instinct. Instead, Sesshoumaru put all of his attention into finding the source of Inuyasha's behavior. Naraku smirked. He was not about to reveal his presence any time soon, and so long as Inuyasha played his role, Sesshoumaru would not have a chance to find him. Naraku was so absorbed in his own gloating that he failed to notice the three figures taking action below.

**********

"I'm going to stop this," Kagome declared. Miroku and Shippou had opposite reactions.

"No way, Kagome! You'll get hurt," Shippou shouted and clung to her arms tighter.

At the same time, Miroku said, "I'll help, Kagome-sama." Kagome searched his face, and found that they were in complete understanding; Naraku had to be stopped before he harmed anyone else.

Shippou looked from one to the other and resigned himself to the fact that he would not be able to convince them otherwise. A small part of him also knew that he was being selfish, trying to keep Kagome, the only person who came close to being family now that his parents were dead, safe when everyone else was in need of her help. Kagome gave the kitsune a quick warm hug, as if she had heard his thoughts and wanted to reassure him, before setting him down.

She said, "I have my bow and arrows. We just need to get close enough so that I can shoot at him. Miroku-sama?"

"I'll distract him," he said. "You do what you have to do, Kagome-sama. We'll stop him once and for all."

"Please be careful," she beseeched. "Naraku almost has all of the Shikon no Tama. I don't know what he's capable of right now."

"Wait, I'll help." Shippou said. He pulled out a large leaf from an inner fold of his blue shirt and let it float down to his head. When it landed, the air around him shimmered and wavered, and there stood Kagome's mirror image. Kagome grinned at him.

"Thanks, Shippou-chan. If you pretend to be me and go with Miroku, he won't see me coming from the other side."

Miroku rolled his eyes when the kitsune puffed up with pride. It looked rather ridiculous considering that he looked like Kagome at the moment. Miroku slung his arm around Shippou's shoulders, making the other's eyes grow wide in alarm.

"Come on, Shippou, we have to make a ruckus." He began to tug the Kagome look-alike towards Naraku's hiding place.

"Oi! Get your hands offa me, Miroku!"

Miroku fluttered his lashes and teased, "But Kagome-sama, won't you do me the honor of bearing my child?"

"You JERK!" Shippou, bearing an uncanny resemblance to an enraged Kagome, raised a fist and brought it down on Miroku's head with a resounding thump that hurt a lot more than it sounded. Shippou hadn't held back. Miroku recoiled. Since they were safely out of Kagome's hearing distance, the houshi swore.

"What the fuck, Shippou! I was just kidding, can't you take a joke?" Shippou snarled and his illusion wavered for a second. Miroku stared at the image of Kagome superimposed on Shippou's true form.

The kitsune said, "It isn't funny! I'm a guy!"

"What the hell are you saying, kitsune?" Miroku was growing angry. "I don't like men."

"Coulda fooled me," Shippou muttered. He reined in his illusion and it solidified. Now he no longer looked like a ghostly Kagome.

It occurred to Miroku, as he watched Shippou, that he had forgotten, for a moment, that it was not Kagome at all, but Shippou. Anger temporarily dispelled, only to be replaced by an incrementally spiraling confusion; he clamped down on his emotions and followed Shippou in stony silence.

**********

The trees worked wonders to hide Kagome's progress towards Naraku. Using a stealth that she had never known that she was capable of, Kagome darted from tree to tree, keeping well out of sight of Naraku, but also of Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. And the reason for this? Simple. The closer she got to Naraku and the jewel, the closer she was to the dueling youkai, Kagome felt more and more displaced, as if she were experiencing an outer body moment. Somehow proximity to the jewel was making her hyper sensitive to emotions and thoughts, something that had never happened to her before; and definitely not a good thing when those emotions were coming from such intense beings as Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. Truly perturbing was the fact that their emotional distress was causing her physical pain.

Kagome gasped when a particularly excruciating spasm made her drop to her hands and knees on dry grass, cutting pebbles, and broken twigs, her quiver and bow falling to her side, to clutch at her heart. _Kami-sama! If they don't kill each other, they'll definitely kill me._ Groaning with the effort of pulling quaking limbs into order, Kagome reached blindly for her weapon. Her vision was blurry, gray around the edges, and she felt light-headed. Forcing her legs to work, albeit shakily, Kagome used her bow to prop herself upright, blinking rapidly to clear her sight. Moving on sheer will power, Kagome jogged in a stumbling gait towards where her senses told her the jewel would be. Her thoughts were a jumble with speculation. _Could it be that the jewel is making Inuyasha act this way?_

**********

_Inuyasha's here?_ Kikyou wondered. _Who is that he is fighting?_

She had found them completely by accident. Wandering aimlessly tended to do that. She would just walk and walk, and eventually she would find civilization, or in this case, youkai. There was never any reason for her to walk, nowhere that she particularly wanted to be or to go to, no destination. It was simply a way for her to pass her non-existence. After all, what was there for her to live for, when she was a claymation with no soul, only hatred? She couldn't even have the consolation of anger, as Kagome had stolen that along with everything else on the day that she had been born, however inadvertently.

Kikyou observed dispassionately as Inuyasha battled with his faster opponent. She almost wished that the other youkai would kill Inuyasha, do her a favor, but then she thought that it would be dissatisfying to just see Inuyasha die at another's hands. She wanted to be the one who stripped Inuyasha of his overweening pride, of his life, and of his love. That was her ultimate fantasy: to plunge a metaphorical knife into Inuyasha's heart… wasn't it?

Movements mechanical, smooth and robotic, Kikyou settled onto a boulder and watched Inuyasha with a critical eye. She honestly had no idea what was happening, but it would not take a genius to know that Inuyasha had private demons tormenting him at the moment. He was fighting even more intensely than on the day that he had killed her; it revealed that this person with the silvery white hair and icy gold eyes meant more to Inuyasha than she had. Funny. She had always thought that Inuyasha loved her most in the world. She was wrong. This stranger was someone that Inuyasha loved more dearly than she. Kikyou turned away, and continued her meandering journey with dark thoughts. She refused to look back.

_Naraku, I know you are near. What are you using the jewel for? Do you know its secrets yet? I can sense its power… but I cannot feel anything…_

**********

::You look like a fool. Chasing a flitting bee without any thought to what the bee's objective is.::

"Don't fucking play with me, Sesshoumaru!"

"Play? We are not children any longer, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru was scornful. "I, Sesshoumaru, do not play." He sheathed Tenseiga, favoring hand-to-hand combat over the katana, as it gave him a much better sense of satisfaction when he cut into his enemies with his toxic claws. The hidden enemy would have to wait. He had more pressing matters to take care of.

Inuyasha's red demonic eyes narrowed in understanding. He let Tetsusaiga return to its deceptively plain, rusty form and put it aside. Without the heavy weight of Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha found that his movements were not hindered. He smiled in satisfaction, a curl of his lips that revealed pointy lengthening fangs. He too preferred using his blood claws when it came to battles with his half-brother. For other opponents the sword was best, but for this one person who had caused so much heartache, Inuyasha wanted to literally tear him limb from limb with his bare hands.

"Come at me," Sesshoumaru ordered in a chilly voice. Inuyasha was happy to oblige.

::Now. Make your move now, Inuyasha. Take your long awaited revenge.::

And the battle began in earnest.

To a human bystander they were pink and white blurs, the color of their clothing their only identifying mark. But to Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, time slowed as if the world were submerged in molasses and everything moved in sluggish pantomime.

The first strike went to Sesshoumaru. Not very surprising considering that his speed was twice that of his brother even on the worst of days. But with that first drop of blood that rolled off his shoulder, Inuyasha lost control of an already tenuous hold on his humanity, and with that humanity went all of the gentler aspects of his personality. Sesshoumaru almost smirked with his satisfaction. Now that they were more evenly matched, he would stop teasing and truly test his brother's endurance. Colorless, odorless poison dripped off his claws to form sizzling pits in defenseless earth.

Inuyasha screamed wordlessly, and charged with greater speed than he had ever managed in the past. He flung his right arm out with fingers curled and stiff as claws protracted to form whitish hooks. When he was within striking distance Inuyasha made a swipe at his brother, putting all of his weight into the motion, and leaving no room to back out. Sesshoumaru slid backwards, and managed to dodge the blow by a hair's breadth. In retaliation he spun on his heel and struck Inuyasha in a long line across his back as he flew past him, all five claws digging deep gouges through resilient pink fire rat's fur and into Inuyasha's flesh. His brother rolled to a relatively safer distance away.

Sesshoumaru's poison caused the worst possible wounds, Inuyasha thought as he hissed with pain. It was not so much the cuts of his brother's razor sharp claws, although those played a large factor. Inuyasha had experienced deep cuts, stabs, impaling plenty of times before to deal with them. It was literally the poison which special glands in Sesshoumaru's body produced that caused so much unbearable pain. The poison burned him deep within, making muscles twist and spasm, and caused the sensation of small ants gnawing on his flesh as they marched along exposed, raw nerve endings. Agony described the feeling nicely.

But Inuyasha had formed a small amount of tolerance for his brother's favorite weapon. Once before, he had been the victim of Sesshoumaru's poison. And that time, Sesshoumaru had shoved his whole hand through Inuyasha's stomach, creating a gaping hole just below his heart and lungs, in his torso. Inuyasha had barely survived that time. And if he had then, then he was not about to give up now. Rolling to his trembling legs, Inuyasha gathered the last shreds of his tattered pride and stood tall.

"That wasn't good enough, Sesshoumaru," he hissed through clenched teeth. "Try again."

Sesshoumaru smiled, cold, detached. _Yes, Inuyasha. You are learning._ He said, "My turn. Look to your left." And he blurred.

Trusting his brother to not play tricks during a duel, Inuyasha shifted to the right, angling his body in time to feel an icy wind pass by his face. It was his brother, that wind, and now, finally, Inuyasha began to understand. Instead of tracking his opponent with eyes that were fatally slow, he let his senses shut down one by one until all he could do was feel. Nerve endings screamed in his back, as that too was amplified, but Inuyasha could not afford to let his injuries hamper him. He curled his claws with eyes closed and ears unhearing, and waited for that winter breeze to come again. And he knew that it would.

**********

No time. She was running too slow, breathing too hard, and her body was too tired. Yet Kagome fought on, pushing herself to the limit, even if it broke her in the end. Less than ten minutes had passed, and in that brief interval Inuyasha had attacked Sesshoumaru only to become injured. Kagome's legs pumped harder, willpower overcoming physical aches, and she finally arrived at the spot that she had sighted from the knoll not too long ago.

She gasped, bent in half and clutching trembling knees, pressing a hand against her heart when it pulsed and throbbed against her ribs, as if demanding release from its natural prison. _Breathe_, her mind screamed. _Don't let it get you, there's little time. Stop this now. Don't let your human body fail you._ And she did: breathe.

Grateful that her body would not collapse, Kagome blinked away sweat and tears that she had not noticed were present. She was in a clearing, yards deep in the forest and hidden from everyone else's view, and from where she stood, Naraku's form was as clear as day. He stood on a high tree branch, facing the open field and intent only on the battling youkai. Kagome frowned when she saw his smug smile. Gritting teeth in stubborn determination, she notched her arrow and took aim.

**********

Miroku and Shippou were close enough to see Naraku's face. This time, the bodiless youkai had taken the form of a young daimyo. As was his habit, Naraku had chosen a handsome young man as his host, one who had black hair knotted neatly at the top of his head, and whose pale features were refined beneath thin arching brows. So far the youkai had not noticed them yet. Miroku used this to his advantage. He and Shippou edged around some shrubbery and closer to Naraku. They thought that they had time to act. They were wrong. Before either could do anything to distract Naraku for Kagome, she had already acted.

A glowing arrow shot through the air, aimed for Naraku's heart. But something went awry. Naraku's hand glowed before the arrow pierced him, creating a shell of energy about his body, and the arrow fell harmlessly to the ground. Miroku froze in horror when Naraku turned his face to look at Kagome, who stood defiant but unprotected in a clearing not too far from them.

**********

Sesshoumaru felt it the instant that Kagome had fired her arrow. It was like a tug low in his stomach; the way her raw power called to his senses and made him forget everything else was more intoxicating than a drug. In that moment Sesshoumaru became aware of three things: that Kagome was too far away; that his cloaked enemy was in the trees west of his position; and that the bastard was intent on harming Kagome. So Sesshoumaru did the first thing that his instincts told him to do, something that he would later question once the near frantic urgency left his veins. He abandoned his brother and dashed towards the girl who foolishly faced off with a ruthless youkai. It never occurred to Sesshoumaru that he should inform his brother of his intentions. A fatal mistake, as Inuyasha felt his motion and flew at Sesshoumaru with unerring accuracy. Sesshoumaru swore and dodged, but his brother had already learned from past mistakes and would not let him pass.

"You aren't going anywhere, Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha's eyes were still closed, when he said, "We settle this now."

"Che." Sesshoumaru could identify Naraku now. "Get out of my way, Inuyasha, unless you want the girl to die." That made Inuyasha's eyes snap open, but something in Sesshoumaru's expression stopped him from making hasty accusations. Inuyasha grew alarmed when he saw Naraku. He raced with Sesshoumaru to the forest clearing where Kagome was visible. They were too late. Naraku had already come down from his hiding place.

"Damn it! Naraku's too close!"

Sesshoumaru almost tripped when he heard his half-brother voice his very thoughts.

**********

Naraku knew that he had a very small window of opportunity. If it were simply Inuyasha whom he faced, then he would have enjoyed playing around, torturing the half-breed a little, before he killed the girl off. As it was, Kagome had somehow gained an ally in Sesshoumaru, and that was not to be borne. Naraku pulled a tanto blade encased in black lacquer out of his sleeve and bore down on Kagome, who stood mute and frozen in her pretty clearing.

The scene was a sick play in slow motion. There stood Kagome, with slate eyes wide and unblinking, staring up at the dark man who would take her life with a blank expression, as if she were a life sized doll incapable of human emotion. Running towards her were four people: a small kitsune child, a dark haired priest, and two demons, one half-human, the other a questionable ally. And she could only close her eyes as Naraku separated blade from scabbard. Then time sped up, and Kagome stepped back, away from death, and fell heavily to the earth with both arms catching her fall. But even as she broke free of her trance-like state, Kagome was too late, as was everyone else, and Naraku cleanly slashed at her throat. Blood spurted from the gaping wound, more like a grinning clown's mouth than anything else, and splashed Naraku's satisfied face, painting half of it red.

Fate was fickle and played evil tricks. Even the most blessed and innocent of people could be victims of it, and Kagome was no exception. And perhaps she already knew this as her eyes had closed in that last instant before steel touched fragile skin. She looked like a mannequin that someone had accidentally spilled paint all over, still and beautiful. But none of the people present could ever mistake Kagome for a wooden doll. They all remembered her tinkling laughter too vividly for that. Her instant death was accompanied by the sound of three voices raised in fury. Two were growling. The third resembled nothing more than the howl of an angry beast. Indeed, Inuyasha's voice was the loudest in the forest, as it echoed from tree to tree, past the invisible line between forests and field, and rolled down the river to cause children frolicking many villages away to have nightmares for many nights to come.

Only Sesshoumaru remained silent. While the others mourned, he showed no reaction to the tragedy that had taken place before him. Naraku was most wary of him, fully aware that the others were too deep in mourning to do much. Nearly translucent golden eyes regarded Naraku with something akin to curiosity, making the hairs on the back of Naraku's back stand on end. No one wanted to catch Sesshoumaru's attention, and least of all see their reflections in clear orbs. Naraku backed away despite himself when Sesshoumaru stepped forward, pleasure from killing the interfering human dwindling to be replaced by debilitating fear.

"You were the one," Sesshoumaru said conversationally. "The one who caused Inuyasha to behave that way."

"This has nothing to do with you Sesshoumaru," Naraku bit out. His fucking hands were trembling. He stuffed them into his sleeves, hiding his hands altogether. "Inuyasha is both of our enemy. I just made things easier by getting rid of the bitch."

"I see…" And then he dismissed Naraku. Just like that, he ignored the potential threat, as though Naraku were nothing more than a fly that happened to alight on his sleeve, and could be brushed away or flattened at will. It made Naraku livid, but there was nothing that he could do about it when he was still shaking within.

"Kagome," the kitsune sobbed and threw himself onto the girl's still warm corpse, crying into her cooling shoulder while shudders racked his little body. He was joined by the houshi who knelt behind him, heedless of the blood that soaked his priest's robes. Miroku was actually using his priestly training and saying a blessing for the dead girl.

When Inuyasha turned to him with red eyes, Naraku was braced and ready to confront him.

"Naraku, you'll fucking regret this day," Inuyasha spoke so quietly that Naraku had to strain his ears to hear him.

"Heh," Naraku sneered into Inuyasha's grief etched face, seeing every groove and hollow as another indication of weakness in the half-breed. "You've failed Inuyasha. Once again, you've failed to protect a loved one. How does it feel to be a failure?"

Inuyasha snarled wordlessly. He swiped his hand through the air, sending five blood claws through the air and slashing Naraku's pale face. The end effect was a gruesome mask, half of which was covered in Kagome's blood, and the other half bearing five bold red stripes interspersed with pale, pale skin. Naraku wiped his face with a long sleeve and grinned back at Inuyasha, daring the youkai to do something else. It was Sesshoumaru who cut off his entertainment.

The youkai lord had been silent since he had last spoken to Naraku, not really observing any of them or drawing attention to him. This certainly changed when he walked over to the dead girl and ordered her grieving friends to get away at the same time as he drew his sword in one smooth motion. Shippou and Miroku paled, and Inuyasha was immediately standing in front of Kagome with arms spread.

"What do you think you're doing, Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha yelled at him in disbelief.

Sesshoumaru said, "Do you want the girl to live?"

"What?" the others gasped in unison. Sesshoumaru spared them a bored glance. He did not repeat himself.

And it was unnecessary as comprehension dawned on all three hopeful faces. Naraku could only look from one to the next in confusion. There was no way to bring the girl back; she was truly dead and nothing could change it… right? He was beginning to doubt his surety when Inuyasha actually stepped back and pulled the houshi and kitsune with him, leaving a wide circle with only Kagome and Sesshoumaru at its center.

[End Part 2]

**Author's notes:**

I hope that Sesshoumaru isn't too cold in this part. And as for Naraku's fear of Sesshoumaru, this isn't hinted at in the manga, but I chose to add some more dimension to Naraku than just having him appear, stir the pot, then disappear. That's annoying as hell. And if you guys are confused as to why I added Kikyou, only to have her disappear, she's like a wild card in this story, showing up only when she feels like it, and only when she's necessary. This seems like something her character would do, as Kikyou often plays hide and seek, like Naraku, in the manga.

**Definitions:**

**Sengoku Jidai:** Japan's "Era of the Warring States", this was a feudal period in which clans across Japan battled for domination and land.

**Youkai:** equivalent of a western demon, I suppose, but I use the Japanese word "youkai" because I picture youkai as different from demons.

**Shikon no Tama:** "Jewel of Four Souls" Breaking down the Japanese words, this is literally [FOUR SOUL(s) (particle indicating possession) JEWEL/SPHERE/BEAD], however one must use a lot of context clues when translating Japanese. =P

**Houshi:** wandering monk? … I have to look this up. (Gomen ^^;)

**Oneechan:** used to address an older sister with fondness, or can be used with a slightly older female you are close to and speak casually with.

**Hai:** literally "yes", this is an expression of agreement that can be translated many ways.

**Aa:** expression of agreement… I think only men are supposed to use this… not sure though.

**Saya:** a sword sheath/scabbard

**Chikushou:** damn ^^;; Sagara Sanosuke's a bad influence…

**Che:** shit …a *really* bad influence.

   [1]: mailto:h_shunu@hotmail.com?subject=Full%20Circle



	3. Submerged in Memories

Full Circle [3] Submerged in Memories

**DISCLAIMER:** All Inuyasha characters are the creation of, and © to Rumiko Takahashi, and subsequent parties. Full Circle is the creation of my demented mind, and © to [Shun'u Hanashiro][1] 2000-2001.

**Author's Notes:** _Italicized_ text (or //) can indicate private/unvoiced thoughts – or – flashback sequences. Colons [::] indicate insinuated thoughts by another character into one's subconscious. Be forewarned that all of the events prior to tankouban 14 of the manga are up for grabs in this story.

**May 2000**

**F U L L ****• C I R C L E**

**An Inuyasha Fanfiction**

By [Shun'u Hanashiro][1]

**Part 3: Submerged in Memories**

** **

Pallbearers bore a remarkable resemblance to Jaken, in Sesshoumaru's estimation. They were short of limb, sparse of height, and had large beady eyes set in a face that, even in his most generous mood, would only be called simple. The little guys were rather pathetic, really; coming to collect souls of the dearly departed on a regular basis couldn't have been a very stimulating job. Even so, Sesshoumaru had no qualms about slicing them in half when they came to collect Kagome for the thereafter, wherever that might have been.

He didn't know why he was going through with this, not at all. The girl didn't mean anything to him, and he certainly never bothered to worry about his brother's emotional state before. So why was he doing this? He nearly sighed when no logical answer came to mind, but stopped before the revealing action could pass his lips. _Maybe Jaken had it right when he called her a witch._

**********

Inuyasha watched his brother warily. Sesshoumaru wasn't doing anything but staring into empty space, making Inuyasha tense with apprehension. _Why is he doing this? It makes no sense. But… I could feel it: his sincerity when he said that he would bring her back._ Inuyasha switched his gaze to the girl lying in a pool of her own congealing blood. She was so still, a pale effigy of what she had been. _Sesshoumaru, what are you thinking? I wish I could trust you, but I'm only letting you do this because there's… no other choice… my hands are tied._

Naraku's movement caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Inuyasha wanted nothing more than to tear the youkai apart piece-by-piece, and ever so slowly. He wanted to hear Naraku's screams and pleas before he finished the bastard off. And his feelings weren't completely due to his surging youkai blood either. Even his human side wanted to torture the evil demon that had killed Kagome, an innocent girl, in such cold blood. But that would wait. For now Naraku was safe from his vengeance. There were more important matters to attend to.

**********

_No. No. NO! This cannot be!_ Naraku screamed in his head. His voice had somehow deserted him. _There is no such thing as bringing a human back to life. Youkai can; humans cannot. That is the natural order of things. Their souls are trapped in their weak bodies, not like Youkai who can keep their souls safely guarded somewhere else. There is no way for Sesshoumaru to bring this human back… can he? What is he?_

And the trembling would not stop, damn it! Naraku's hands were trapped in his sleeves, clenched and white knuckled, he was sure. _I can't let this happen… Sesshoumaru, you will regret crossing me. We could have been allies against this insolent pup, but you chose to help that damned girl._ His hands had finally stopped trembling. With a confident smirk on his face, Naraku lightly tapped the yellow parchment in his shirt, feeling more secure upon reassuring himself that it was still there, and palmed the Shikon no Tama. He was always prepared for anything, even unpleasant surprises such as this.

**********

They had arrived. Sesshoumaru let a faint smile pass his lips as he spotted the little Jaken look-alikes. There were six of them in all; each of them was dressed in funereal robes, and each bore a solemn expression. He didn't particularly care how solemn they felt. Unsheathing Tenseiga from its saya, Sesshoumaru stepped closer to the still girl.

None of the others knew what was happening, for none of them could see the little tikes trying to make off with Kagome's unblemished soul. Sesshoumaru almost told them to stay out of his way when he saw the kitsune open his mouth, but he refrained from speaking when Inuyasha did it for him. He focused on the matter at hand: killing the little spirit guides who were converging on Kagome's still form.

To the others, it looked as though Sesshoumaru was about to cut Kagome up into little pieces -- not a very tantalizing thought. Inuyasha and Miroku finally had to knock Shippou out when he became hysterical on them. In the deathly silence that followed, they watched as Sesshoumaru brought his sword up and across, with his right hand holding the hilt at his left shoulder. Then, in a blinding rush, he sliced through the air, making a whistling sharp sound and cutting through the empty space above Kagome. Whatever he did seemed to satisfy him, for Sesshoumaru nodded once then cleaned off his sword by taking two rapid swings with it: once to the left, then once to the right, as if to flick off blood, and sheathed the weapon. Silence followed. No one knew what to do.

"What just happened?" Miroku asked of no one in particular. His voice sounded drained.

"Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha began only to be cut off by his brother.

"Watch."

All of them had thought that nothing had been done. That is, until the air above Kagome began to shimmer and ripple, and her wound closed as if the flesh were being pushed together by invisible, gentle fingers. It created a red seam on white skin that slowly sealed from the edges inward until nothing remained of the wound at all except for spilt blood. Then her chest began to rise and fall with even breaths. Kagome's eyes blinked open in much the way that Sleeping Beauty must have: drowsy, confused, and unaware of what had taken place in her slumber.

Inuyasha came as close to crying as he ever had in his life. Instead of doing such a "human" thing, he lurched forward on shaky legs and fell besides the befuddled girl to gather her into his arms for a bone-crushing hug. Miroku, whose eyes were suspiciously bright, followed him. Kagome could barely breathe as she was trapped between them. She looked up to ask Sesshoumaru a silent question.

"Naraku killed you," he said.

Memory was slow in returning, but when it did, she stiffened. Naraku had been watching everything unobtrusively, but she immediately locked onto his tall shadowy form. He spoke first.

"Well, well, well, isn't this an interesting turn of events," he commented. Inuyasha and Miroku immediately recognized that crafty tone and released Kagome in order to step in front of her, creating a living wall. "Sesshoumaru, you seem to have been holding out on us."

Sesshoumaru merely flicked imaginary dust off of his white sleeve and arched an eyebrow. He wasn't even remotely curious as to what Naraku wanted to say. The youkai was clever, but he was weak. Without the Shikon no Tama, Naraku wouldn't even have been a worthy foe for his half-brother. Naraku seemed to understand his unspoken disdain, for a flush started and died before Naraku spoke.

"I was wrong to think that you could have been a possible ally, Sesshoumaru," Naraku said. "You only look out for yourself, don't you?"

"What I do does not concern you, Naraku. Don't cross me, and you should live long enough to figure out how to use your little toy."

His implications were not lost on the others; he meant the Shikon no Tama. Inuyasha smirked, for once enjoying his brother's sarcasm now that it wasn't directed at him. Kagome and Miroku were actually the only ones in the clearing who were still wary of Naraku. Both suspected that he had something up his sleeve, and neither relished the thought of finding out what that was.

Naraku practically spit his next words out. "You fucking think you're so much better than everyone else. I'll teach you differently, Sesshoumaru, and then you'll bow to me."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I bow to no one."

"You'll find out differently," Naraku whispered. "And then it will be too late."

Kagome lurched to her feet behind her would be protectors. Heart hammering in her chest, she yelled, "Watch out! He's using the jewel."

Many things happened simultaneously. Inuyasha and Miroku were on Naraku in seconds. He was oddly docile as they tackled him to the ground. Kagome grabbed her weapons, which had landed not too far away from where she had fallen. Sesshoumaru caught her as the ground shook, making all of them stagger. The mini earthquake made everything within sight distort and shimmer. Only Miroku recognized the signs. He had lived with the curse of the Air Rip for too long not to know what was happening. He shouted a warning to the others.

"He's creating an Air Rip. Get out of the way!"

And they did. But Naraku was not simply creating an Air Rip. He was creating one intended specifically for two people. Inuyasha and Miroku had jumped away from Naraku immediately after Miroku had called out his warning. Sesshoumaru had scooped Kagome up and easily distanced himself from the others, and out of range of the telltale undulating air. But Naraku had anticipated this. The Air Rip had been created exactly where Sesshoumaru landed. Everything else had been a hoax.

"Kuku kuku," he laughed aloud. It was almost a joyous sound: high, clear, and grating. He taunted them. "Too late! Inuyasha, watch as I destroy your loved ones."

Inuyasha was too far away from his brother. He could only watch in disbelief as a black whirlpool opened up beneath Sesshoumaru and sucked him into the abyss, taking Kagome along with him. Naraku was still speaking, now a faint noise in the background. Inuyasha barely heard his words.

"I will return, Inuyasha. And next time, you won't have your brother or that girl to save you."

And then Naraku escaped yet another time.

**********

Sesshoumaru would have sworn had he time for the distraction, but he didn't have that leisure, so he didn't curse. He had fallen for Naraku's trick. Damn the devious bastard. And he had figured it out too late. Sesshoumaru had no excuses for himself. Given, he had witnessed the Air Rip only once before, but he was not like his brother who needed repetition to learn. The simple truth was that he *should* have known; he should have seen it coming from miles away. But he hadn't. Sesshoumaru gave in and swore. He pressed Kagome against his chest to protect her face from sharp churning winds that made their clothes snap, and extended his awareness to get a sense of what was happening to them. He had no intention of dying yet.

The whirlwind that was sucking at them was malignant. Wherever they were headed, it was not going to be a pleasant place. Sesshoumaru was acutely aware of the utter blackness, the void on the other side. It promised peace, but only at the price of mindless insanity. Their bodies would pass through this vortex whole and unharmed, but if they weren't powerful enough to shield their minds during the transition, both he and the girl would be nothing more than empty husks of what they once were. Sesshoumaru grimaced when he felt her hold on him tighten. He would be fine. Kagome would not; she was still unaware of her powers, a babe in the woods and all the more dangerous for her ignorance. However, there was one way that he could protect both of them from her power, though he loathed doing it.

Using Tenseiga on Kagome to revive her had created a metaphysical, yet indisputable, link between their souls. This had happened with Rin as well, thereby causing the child to trust him absolutely despite his initial encouragement otherwise. He had grown used to Rin's attachment. It was nothing that was threatening, more comforting in its unquestioning and simple loyalty than anything else. However, with Kagome and her untapped mysterious powers, there was a definite possibility that she would be able to do things to him that no other human or demon would be able to.

There was no other choice. The vacuum was closing in around them and he could no longer feel sunlight or see trees. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and extended an invisible hand into Kagome, probing around for that silver thread that led to her heart. He found it wound about her left hand, more specifically, around the fourth finger of said hand. Sesshoumaru wrapped his essence around that thread and followed its path into Kagome's mind. There he found her, standing in a sunlit room filled with wild plants and blossoming flowers, where harmless little forest creatures scurried back and forth collecting twigs and nuts. She was dressed in white from head to toe, hair unbound and free, and her ever-changing blue eyes were peaceful. Her spirit was beautiful. He momentarily regretted what he was about to do, but followed through it for both of their sakes. Sesshoumaru reached for small, unresisting, already trusting hands, and pulled her into himself, where he knew she would see his ugly demons. And the vortex closed off all sensation.

**********

"Where am I?"

Kagome immediately thought that was a stupid question the moment she voiced it. She was in a fairly large chamber. Though certainly not big enough to house Sesshoumaru in his true demon form, it gave plenty of room for air to circulate. The one thing that stood out in the plain room was that there weren't any pieces of furniture other than a cabinet against the far wall that looked like one of those special racks that could hold wine bottles without letting them roll. In front of the cabinet were a low table and thickly stuffed, embroidered pillow behind that. Set atop the table was a black lacquered box with gold etching and inset with mother of pearl chips. The pattern was of a crane standing one legged in a still pond, forever captured and never to fly in this lifetime.

The closer Kagome got to the cabinet, the more she could see. There were scrolls set in its compartments and, oddly enough, the scrolls were glowing. Each scroll was a different color, and there was no apparent order to their placement in the cabinet until Kagome was near enough to read small words written on the tips of each roll of parchment. They were dated. Curiosity overcoming caution, Kagome pulled out one of the older ones that pulsed with a dark indigo glow. It was dated sixty-eight years prior to the time she had met Inuyasha. She pulled the twined threads holding the scroll closed… and spread it across the table as she sat. Kagome was surprised when, instead of words, she began to see pictures… in her head… Even more disturbing were the feelings that she experienced first hand. She couldn't stop them from rolling through her mind.

_He watched her from the shadows. The human bitch that his father had married less than two hours ago in a private ceremony was sitting beneath a tree waiting for his father to finish a meeting with his retainer, Jaken. She was exactly like he expected her to be: frail, timid, and preposterously overdressed in too many clashing colors, like a child playing dress up in her mother's clothes. That was one thing he refused to call her: Mother. She wasn't his, and she would never be able to fill that role. He wanted her out of his life, out of *their* lives. If only he could convince his father of the same._

_When his father came out, the great youkai was smiling, and happy to be with his pretty new wife. Sesshoumaru could see this even from his distance. He couldn't take anymore. He left. Behind him, his father raised his head and turned it towards the trees his young son had been hiding in. For a moment sadness overshadowed his marital happiness._

Kagome snapped out of her vision with a gasp. Disoriented and breathing hard, Kagome gripped the edges of the table, and tried to regain her equilibrium.

"These must be Sesshoumaru's journals… but why am I seeing things?" she asked the empty room. "And I felt… his anger…"

Shaking her head, Kagome carefully rolling up the scroll and slid it back into its designated slot. She fingered the cabinet, tracing its pattern of repeated diamonds. Another scroll caught her eye. This one was crimson, and pulsed with a brighter light than any of the others. Temptation sang in her blood, and Kagome could not resist pulling the scroll from its nest. She unrolled it. This time she knew what to expect and the vertigo was not as bad.

_He was happy, almost giddy with joy at the thought that his father was returning from his trip soon. In fact, Sesshoumaru was so hyper that his mother had sent him outdoors to play instead of having him jump around the house and possibly knock over one of her precious vases. But being happy alone was not so appealing to the young youkai, so he returned to his home and sought out his mother. She was sitting at her desk, painting with her black ink a picture of mountains and fishermen with interchanging long and short efficient strokes. Curious about what could keep his mother still for so long, Sesshoumaru sidled up to her and leaned into her side until she set the brush down and combed back his waist length hair. He marveled in childish wonder at how the white sheet he had earlier seen had been transformed into a detailed landscape._

_"What brings you inside to visit Hahaue, Maru-chan?" Her smile warmed his heart._

_"Hahaue, when's Chichiue going to be back?"_

_He nearly purred when she rubbed his back in smooth circles. Her scent was so soft and flowery to his sensitive nose, yet not overbearing like that of his aunts. Sesshoumaru played with her long jet-black hair as he waited for his answer._

_"He will be home tonight. Are you excited?" she asked in her gentle voice._

_"Hai!" He grinned impishly, rich amber eyes sparkling. "I'm gonna show him my new techniques."_

_Her dark eyebrow arched. "And you cannot show these techniques to me?"_

_"Iie," he adamantly shook his head. "I can't. You're a girl."_

_His mother's mouth quirked. "And a girl cannot appreciate your skill?"_

_Sesshoumaru quickly nodded, glad that his mother understood without him having to explain. He didn't know if he could have without hurting her feelings. He never wanted to see his beautiful mother cry. Not wanting her to continue along this line of questioning, Sesshoumaru deftly changed the subject. He had learned from his father that "changing the subject" was the best way of avoiding trouble._

_"What are you drawing Hahaue?"_

_"Painting, Maru-chan," she corrected him. "You see this?" She pointed at a tiny pot-bellied man carrying a long rod slung over his shoulder. "He's a fisherman, and he's going to the sea to catch fish."_

_Sesshoumaru gazed at the funny looking man and wanted to know why he wanted more fish when he was already so fat. He asked diplomatically, "Why would he want to catch fish, Hahaue?"_

_Unnoticed by him, his mother's eyes rolled heaven ward. She could easily read her son's thoughts. She answered easily, "Because he has a family back in the village, here." She pointed out a slightly less hilly area on the painting where Sesshoumaru could see tiny houses dotting rolling, squared off fields. "The fisherman has to care for his family so he needs to fish to earn money. His family also eats fish, so if he didn't go out every day to catch some, then they would starve."_

_Comprehension was bright in Sesshoumaru's young eyes. "Like Chichiue does for us. He goes out and hunts youkai who try to invade his lands to protect us, right Hahaue?"_

_"That is the general idea," she dryly acceded. "You're a clever young man, Maru-chan." She praised him to take any sting out of her previous statement. Her praise elicited the desired effect. Sesshoumaru's little chest puffed up with pride and he sat taller._

_"Chichiue will think so too when he sees my new techniques."_

_His mother laughed, and Sesshoumaru didn't mind, even if he knew that she was laughing at what he said. She sounded so happy when she laughed like that, with her shoulders shaking and her red lips wide in a smile that made him think that she was even more beautiful. Sesshoumaru snuggled into her lap and hugged his mother around her waist. He was content._

Kagome smiled as she put the scroll back into its slot. Memories of Sesshoumaru were crystal clear in her mind, and she couldn't help but giggle. He had been an adorable child, nothing like the sullen teenager who had been so bitter about his father's remarriage. Her smile faded upon that thought. She could see a pattern now. Red scrolls were happy moments in Sesshoumaru's life and the indigo were bad ones. Sadly, the crimson ones were sorely outnumbered. All of them were only located in the upper left hand corner of the cabinet, taking place during Sesshoumaru's early childhood. After that first indigo scroll, the one that she had read, there were no red ones.

With nervous fingers, Kagome reached out and slipped a golden scroll from its niche…

_He was close, Sesshoumaru thought, as he leaped from tree to tree. The prey was just there, just out of his reach, and he would find it soon. After this kill he would be stronger. Perhaps as strong as his father… and then he would get the acknowledgement that was due him._

_Frowning at the sour memories his thoughts evoked, Sesshoumaru quickly dismissed them and focused on the kill. He was hunting a youkai, said to be the most powerful one this far north of Edo. Torama was what it was called, and he suspected that the name fit its master._

_A short while later, he found Torama's lair, which turned out to be nothing more glamorous than a cave set deep within a small mountain. It was almost too easy, finding the demon's resting place, but he had never been one to question his luck when it was in his favor. Stealthily creeping towards the entrance, Sesshoumaru let his instincts take over and sniffed the air for signs that the tiger-demon was in residence. He found what he was looking for in the musty smell that permeated the air around the cave entrance. And that was all the warning he had before Torama appeared._

_The demon was huge, larger than his full demon form by a head, and thicker around the neck. Torama's voice was deep and gravely as he spoke to his intruder._

_"Who are you, pup, and what are you doing disturbing my sleep?"_

_Sesshoumaru felt a moment's hesitation, but his pride would not allow for fear to show. He spoke as if his bones were not aching from being held in place while they wanted to run away in terror. "Hn. I, Sesshoumaru, son of the Great Lord of the Western Realms, have come here to challenge you."_

_Torama released a full-bellied rumble of laughter. He calmed minutes later and regarded the pretty boy standing so arrogantly in front of him. "You are nothing but a child. Go back to your great father and let him teach you some manners. Come back when you are a man and I will reconsider."_

_Those were the wrong words to say to a prideful young man. Sesshoumaru snarled and attacked without warning. Torama was genuinely caught by surprise, having not expected the boy to move so fast. That surprise was forever etched on his features as Torama's head rolled to the ground. Sesshoumaru licked his claws clean before hefting the tiger-demon's head by its thick fur. He would return and show this to his father, as proof that he was stronger._

Fighting the urge to gag at the gruesome scene she had just witnessed, Kagome hastily rolled the scroll and returned it to its place without even bothering to tie the string that held it closed. She was definitely going to stay away from the golden scrolls from now on, she thought shakily. Ready to leave the past alone and not touch another scroll, Kagome reconsidered when she remembered questions that she had always had about Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's relationship. She turned back to the rack and looked back to the first scroll she had read.

"If that was when Inuyasha's mother first appeared," she murmured, "then that means if I read from that point on… would I find out why Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru fight so much? Maybe I'll find out about the swords their father left them."

Not letting her trepidation have a chance to change her mind, Kagome bit her lip and quickly pulled out the next indigo scroll, this one a little lighter, a little bluer than the first.

_The news had come as a shock. He didn't know why. There was no reason to not have suspected such an outcome eventually, but a shock it still was. His father's announcement that his human wife would be bearing him a child had at first stunned Sesshoumaru, and then it had made his face pale in rage. Such cold burning rage it was that he had had to leave in order to regain his balance. Now, nine months later, he was back. Forced by duty to stay by his father's side as the youkai lord awaited news of his second son's birth. Sesshoumaru didn't know at that point whom he resented more, the child, the woman, or his father. Frankly, he didn't want to be anywhere near the happy little family when the brat was born, but if there was anything his mother had taught him, it was that his duties as his father's heir came before personal matters._

_Thoughts of his mother made Sesshoumaru want to scream and rage. The nine-year wound was still fresh in his heart even if everyone else had forgotten. Some days were worse than others. During those moments when he allowed the pain to surface from where he had buried it so long ago, all he wanted to do was to huddle into himself and weep like his father's little wife. But he wasn't human, and he could not shed tears, so even that small comfort was stripped from him._

_The sound of high pitched wailing made Sesshoumaru flinch. The brat had come. Pity. He had hoped that there would be birthing complications. Feeling immediately guilty over his treacherous thoughts, Sesshoumaru avoided his father's too perceptive gaze and followed the youkai lord as he went to greet his newborn child._

_The smell of human sweat made him gag. He detested that musky smell that humans exuded, yet seemed to be oblivious of. Hiding his reactions to the best of his ability, Sesshoumaru slid on a mask of indifference. He inadvertently met his stepmother's limpid violet eyes, and smirked when she flinched back from him. If there was one thing that made his visit worth it, it was that he was able to remind her that hers was not the only son in this household. His fun was interrupted when his father waved him over to meet his new half-brother: his half-human brother._

_He was startled at how tiny the brat was. Unlike human infants, youkai babies were not so completely unaware at birth. Their eyes were fully functional and vocal cords were already strong enough to make sounds. This baby was no exception. The boy was nothing more than a mop of white baby-fine hair, with huge dark gold eyes set in a round chubby face. Sesshoumaru took one look into that innocent face and was hooked. He even cracked a rusty smile before he had his facial muscles under control again and scowled down at the smiling infant._

_"Sesshoumaru, meet your brother, Inuyasha."_

_"Inuyasha?"_

_"Aa. The name suits him, I think," his father said as he smiled down at the baby now grabbing hold of his fingers with its tiny hands._

_"Inuyasha… my brother…"_

Kagome didn't even pause for breath as she quickly dropped the scroll onto the table and reached for the next one. She had forgotten about her apprehensions over reading Sesshoumaru's journals, and the fact that she was experiencing the past instead of simply reading an entry. The next scroll was dated seven years later.

_Inuyasha had gotten into trouble again. Sesshoumaru scowled when he remembered what his father had told him. The boy had declared that he wanted "Maru-niichan" and had thrown a fit in front of his father's rather important guests. Awkward was the last word that Sesshoumaru would have used to describe that incident. A disgrace was what it was. His father's wife had been spoiling the kid for years and it had accumulated into that one moment of public embarrassment. If it were up to him, he would have had the woman flogged for raising Inuyasha so poorly. But it wasn't up to him. He sighed. And it was completely unfair of his father to demand that he spend "quality" time with the kid. He wasn't the one who had knocked up a human, not that he would ever say that to his father's face._

_Sesshoumaru pushed aside the curtain that separated the family rooms from the rest of the castle. Two more turns through empty corridors and he was in an open room that had a table set in the center with rose silk mats around it. Immediately, he spotted his stepmother sitting and stitching a shirt. She was still unaware of him despite the fact that he hadn't bothered to conceal his entrance, Sesshoumaru thought in disgust._

_A pink ball of energy zoomed into Sesshoumaru with enough impact to down a lesser demon. Sesshoumaru caught his half-brother by the scruff of his neck and lifted him up to eye level._

_"Inuyasha, what did I say last time?"_

_"'Don't wrinkle my clothes.'" Inuyasha obediently quoted. Then he gave his half-brother a lopsided smile. Sesshoumaru almost smiled._

_"Inu-chan!" Inuyasha's mother called in horror. She had finally noticed her stepson's presence. Turning on her knees without rising, she touched her head to the floor. "Sesshoumaru-sama, please forgive Inuyasha. He does not usually behave this way."_

_An eyebrow rose. If his father had been there, he would have found Sesshoumaru's expression to be hauntingly like his first wife's when she was about to set him in his place._

_Sesshoumaru was not friendly when he said, "Does he not? From what I hear, Inuyasha has been misbehaving a lot of late."_

_The woman visibly shook as she stared at the floor. Inuyasha looked from one adult to the other, not comprehending the undercurrents, but aware that his adored brother disapproved of something his mother had done. Still, Inuyasha didn't want to see his mother sad, and she was always sad after one of his brother's visits. He decided to divert his brother's attention._

_"Maru-niichan, I figured out how to do a claw attack, just like you showed me."_

_Sesshoumaru knew what his brother was up to, but was in an indulgent mood so he let the woman go without further ado._

_"Did you now, Inuyasha. Let's go outside and you can show me," he said_

_"Hai!" Then Inuyasha's little face dimmed. "But, my attack isn't as cool as yours. I don't have any poison."_

_Somehow Inuyasha's mother found her voice and gasped. She said, "Inu-chan, you mustn't use poison!" She stuttered to a stop at Sesshoumaru's glare. Her eyes were awash with tears as the half-brothers left. Once she thought that both were out of hearing, she collapsed with body-wracking sobs._

_Unfortunately, youkai hearing is much more acute than that of humans. Inuyasha frowned as he scampered after his brother. He wanted to run back to his mother and find out what was wrong, but to do so would mean that he would lose his chance to show off to his brother, and he didn't know how long it would be before Sesshoumaru would show up again. His brother's visits were few and far between. But… maybe his brother knew why his mother was always crying. Having nothing to fear, Inuyasha tugged on his brother's long sleeve, thankful that it was so long that he could reach it._

_Sesshoumaru glanced down at him. "What is it?"_

_"Why is Hahaue crying?"_

_Sesshoumaru shrugged indifferently. "How should I know?"_

_Inuyasha's golden eyes rounded. The concept of his brother not knowing something was completely alien to him. So he asked, "But how come you don't know, Maru-niichan?"_

_"Because I'm not human."_

_"Human?"_

_"Aa. Your mother is human," Sesshoumaru answered shortly._

_Inuyasha pondered this. "But if Hahaue is human, am I human?"_

_"It makes you half-human. You have Chichiue's blood in you also, so you are half-youkai."_

_"Are you half-human?"_

_"No." Sesshoumaru looked at the confused child for a moment before softening his reply. "I had a different mother, Inuyasha. I am only your half-brother."_

_"Half?" Inuyasha trotted after him. "Then what's your other half?"_

_"I am full youkai," he answered._

_And Inuyasha, even in his youth, heard the unbending pride behind that one statement. He had more questions he wanted to ply his brother, correction, half-brother with, but he could tell that Sesshoumaru was not in the mood to talk about it anymore. If there was anything that Inuyasha had learned over the years, it was that there were times that it was better to simply let things be. He would ask his father later, when he returned._

Kagome returned the bluish indigo scroll with a thoughtful expression on her face. She had always thought that Sesshoumaru hated Inuyasha on principle, but these scrolls were showing her differently… So, what had caused the rift between them? The next scroll was darker than any of the others, a murky, opaque indigo that seemed to leech light from the others despite its own otherworldly glow. Kagome pulled it free, and slipped the threads loose.

_He had been away too long. What had started out as a journey to strengthen himself had lasted well into an entire year. Now he was returning to a home that was not really home, and to family that he had been alienated from for much longer than the past year. Sesshoumaru briefly wondered how his father had fared, and if he had aged at all. Not likely. The man was still in his prime, youkai years being different from human ones._

_Which brought him to thinking about Inuyasha and the boy's human mother. Were they well? Did he care? Oddly enough, yes, he did care: for the brat at least, if not for the mother. Somewhere along the way, Inuyasha had become family. Not just in the sense of blood relationship, but true family that he cared for. Sesshoumaru half smiled when he thought about his little brother's antics. The brat was too hyper for his own good, and developing a temper to match all that energy. Pretty soon he would start growing faster and then he would become an adult. Sesshoumaru grimaced. At least Inuyasha didn't have to put up with a name like his. He had made the mistake of letting too many people know about his activities. As a result, superstitious villagers continued to call him Sesshoumaru although it was well past time that he rid himself of the childish suffix. No matter. He was used to the name anyhow._

_Sesshoumaru continued to trek towards his father's estate in deep thought, not really paying attention to his surroundings. That is, until he smelled blood, his father's blood._

_His heart didn't even have a chance to beat before Sesshoumaru was off in a nearly invisible speed. He raced through the trees, dodging and ducking, and sometimes simply cutting through branches that got in his way. Closer and closer he came, until Sesshoumaru could practically taste his father's blood in the air. His stomach twisted. He ignored it and followed a trail of broken trees and scattered rocks. And then he found them._

_A tiger-demon and his father were in the forest battling. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened when he saw the amount of damage his father had taken so far. Too much blood, he thought, his father was losing too much blood. Sesshoumaru did not hesitate in his decision to intercede in the fight. He quickly flew over to his father and shoved the wounded youkai-lord aside as he countered the tiger-demon with his toxic flower claw. To his shock the demon countered with his own poison._

_Sesshoumaru finally understood why his father was injured so heavily. He knew exactly what type of poison the demon was using; it was a variant of his own, and very lethal for youkai who were exposed to it. He did not have time to play around with the tiger-demon, worry for his father's health overriding all of his usual bloodthirsty urges. Sesshoumaru grabbed his father, who sat slumped where he had fallen from his son's earlier push, and escaped from the enraged tiger-demon with all speed. Sesshoumaru stopped only when he was more than halfway back to the castle, and then only because his father's breath was rattling out of his chest like loose pebbles. He carefully set the larger man down on a patch of dry grass and felt for his pulse. It was sluggish and barely perceptible._

_"Sesshoumaru," his father sounded old to his ears. "I will not survive this."_

_"NO!" Sesshoumaru tamped down the urge to yell further. He swallowed hard. "Chichiue, I'll get you back to the castle. We'll get these injuries-"_

_"Son, these injuries are not the problem," his father rebuked gently. "You know that don't you?"_

_And he did. Only too well, Sesshoumaru understood the effects of potent poison on an already weakened body. Many a time, he had used that knowledge to his own advantage. But in this moment, as he beheld his father's clammy face and dilating eyes, he wanted to be able to stop the pain, and felt that his knowledge was incomplete._

_"Chichiue…"_

_"Sesshoumaru, my son, I need to ask something of you." The youkai lord spoke through clenched teeth as his body burned from the inside out. "I place a burden on you, but there is no one else that I would trust to do this well, or to follow my words faithfully."_

_"What is it, Chichiue?" Realizing that his father fully intended to die, Sesshoumaru did the only thing that he could to comfort the man's last hours. He listened. "Whatever it is, I'll do it."_

_The youkai lord smiled and reached blindly to grasp his son's hand. Already, his sight was fading. He needed to speak fast. "Good… promise me… that you will complete Inuyasha's training." He sensed and quickly hushed Sesshoumaru's question. "He is half-human, half-youkai. There will be many who will think lowly of him for his birth; and because of his heritage he will need to learn how to fight better than most. You are the best fighter I have ever known in my hundreds of years, Sesshoumaru. Train him to take care of himself. Protect your brother. Promise me."_

_And he waited… until he felt Sesshoumaru's hand tighten around his own. He barely heard his son's whispered words, but they were there, hovering between them. "I promise, Chichiue. I'll make him strong." Tightness in his chest, that had not been due to his injuries, unwound, and he smiled proudly at his heir. He used the last of his energy to depart his legacy._

_"There are two swords, Tenseiga and Tetsusaiga, which I have made for you and Inuyasha. Tenseiga is yours, Sesshoumaru. I know you will use it wisely. But, I don't know if I made Tetsusaiga too powerful. If he isn't powerful enough, then I trust you to take care of it."_

_Sesshoumaru nodded silently and hugged his father tight to his chest; for once not paying any attention to the blood that stained his clothes. He had only one thing that he could offer his father to ease the pain. He said, "Chichiue, I'll make the pain go away." And then, Sesshoumaru clamped his hands tighter around his father's hand, piercing skin. The poison that he injected relieved his father of all sensation._

_Sesshoumaru brushed his father's white hair back from his brow, regret expressed in every gentle touch. He had wasted half of his life being resentful of a man who had loved him with all his heart, blaming him for circumstances that had not been his fault. And now, he could only relive every moment in his mind, and see how things could have been different between them._

_That was how Inuyasha found his father and brother. The little boy was speechless as he sighted Sesshoumaru, his much-adulated half-brother, holding his dead father. The evidence was incriminating. Sesshoumaru was covered in blood that Inuyasha could tell was their father's. The great youkai lord lay lifeless, broken, against stained white silk. And worst of all was the scent of poison, Sesshoumaru's poison, on his father. Years of having witnessed his brother's cold-blooded methods had none of the effect of that single moment, as Inuyasha's young mind took in these details and processed them, connected them to scraps of rumors and gossip that he had heard on and off about the castle grounds throughout his brief life. Words of frightened servants, words of awe from his father's retainers, and lastly, but perhaps most importantly, his mother's sobs of terror echoing down lonely halls._

_And Inuyasha came to the only conclusion that he could._

_He screamed as he flew at his brother with tiny claws ready to strike. Even in his state of mind, Sesshoumaru easily grabbed Inuyasha's hands and held him at bay. "You killed him! You killed him!" Inuyasha continued his chant over and over, pounding it into his brother's mind, as his hands could not pound Sesshoumaru's chest._

_"Inuyasha, stop this," Sesshoumaru ordered harshly, lost in his own grief._

_"NO!! You killed Chichiue just like everyone said you would! You're nothing but a cold blooded killer!" Inuyasha was beyond his reach._

_Sesshoumaru's eyes hardened. That this boy would dare to accuse him, and that it should hurt, was intolerable. He released the boy and stepped away from his father's corpse. "You are not thinking clearly."_

_"What is there to think?" Inuyasha demanded. Gone was his unquestioning adoration. "I can smell Chichiue's blood on you, and that's your poison in him!" His little body trembled. "You killed him, just like Hahaue said you one day would."_

_"That bitch."_

_Inuyasha jerked at his cold, concise words. He glared up at his brother and wanted to hate that beautiful face. He whispered, "I defended you. I actually defended a person such as you."_

_Sesshoumaru closed his heart to his brother's hurt. He had a promise, and that was all. Inuyasha had to choose for himself whether or not he wanted anything more than that._

She was distantly aware that her face was wet and that the taste of salt was on her lips, but neither of these things mattered as Kagome remembered another's pain. It was debilitating in its intensity. She slid down to the pillow, let the incriminating scroll slide out of her senseless hands, and cried for the two youkai who could not shed their own tears.

**********

He had not expected her reaction; rather, he had expected that her sympathies would go to his half-brother, and not to him, never for him. But he was wrong, yet again, where this girl was concerned. Sesshoumaru watched her from his corner where he had been observing her the entire time, from her wonder, to guilty hesitation, to finally giving into her curiosity and opening the first scroll that contained his memories. She had obviously been reluctant at first about reading what she thought were private journals, but that reluctance had crumbled away when she had found long sought answers. He almost smiled at her naïveté, but his reservation had not disintegrated to that level yet.

Watching a person cry and hearing them cry were two completely different sensations. The first could be done dispassionately, distantly even if one was in the same room. However, the latter was another state of affairs altogether. Sesshoumaru found that he could not sit and listen to her soft sobs in comfort, and finally gave into the urge to find out what this "crying" thing involved. He had never paid much attention to Inuyasha's mother when she had exhibited this singularly human behavior, but then, he hadn't liked the woman enough to even tolerate being in the same room as her.

Padding on quiet feet, Sesshoumaru walked to the table and waited for Kagome to notice him. When it was apparent that she wasn't going to anytime soon, Sesshoumaru sat down beside her and stared at her dark head, which was buried between arms folded on the table.

"Go away," she said without raising her head. Her voice was thick with tears.

Sesshoumaru's eyebrow nearly hiked up to his hairline. "That is quite impossible, you know."

"Why?"

"Face me when you speak with me," he said.

Kagome sniffled and sat up. Her manners were so well ingrained into her psyche that she didn't bother to question whether she had to listen to his rebuke or not. She said quietly, "I'm sorry."

"What for?" He asked this not really thinking about the question. It was more of an automatic response as he was more curious about her than her answer. The girl still looked the same even though she had been crying. If he recalled correctly, Inuyasha's mother had been red and puffy eyed after each of her bouts. Sesshoumaru tried to make his study of her face as inconspicuous as possible.

"For looking through your things," Kagome answered. She was slowly returning to her usual self. "I didn't mean to pry." He looked at her in disbelief. Kagome flushed and wondered how long he had been in the room. "Okay, so I did mean to pry, but it sort of got out of hand."

Sesshoumaru waved away her apologies. "That is no matter. It was bound to happen."

_Huh?_ She asked, "So where are we, anyhow?"

He looked as startled as she had ever seen him. He said, "You don't know?"

"No," she said. There was something wrong with this picture, something that she couldn't quite put her finger on… "All I remember is the Air Rip opening up and being pulled into it, nothing after that."

Kagome peered at Sesshoumaru, forgetting herself and leaning in to see his face more clearly in the dim light that was produced by the scrolls. He sat completely still as she stared. Then it struck her as she noticed the color of his collar. Their clothes were different. She had been wearing her school uniform when Naraku had struck, and remembered waking from her "death" to be soaked in blood. Sesshoumaru had been in his usual patterned white kimono. Now, there was not only no blood, but she was dressed in an old-fashioned pale blue kimono and he in a dark blue one.

Kagome sat back and asked bluntly, "Where are we?"

He blinked. "We are in my mind."

"That wasn't funny," she grumbled. "Now, really, where are we?"

He was getting irritated. "I was not jesting. We. Are. In. My. Mind." He enunciated slowly, and then emphasized his statement with a glare.

Panic was her reaction. "What!" She grabbed him by the lapels of his pretty clothes. "How did this happen? When? How can I get out? Please tell me there's a way out!"

Prying her fingers loose one by one, Sesshoumaru tried to rein in his temper. It was not an easy thing to do when she continued with her questions without waiting for an answer to any of them. Not to mention the mess she was making of his clothes, he thought darkly.

He finally lost it when recently dislodged fingers latched onto his clothes again. He yelled at her,"Will you stop your infernal prattle?!"

_Eep! Kowai…_

Kagome slid back to sit on her heels and stared at him wide-eyed. Sesshoumaru ran a hand over his face and took a deep breath. It was definitely the wrong thing to do when she was so close. The faint scent of lilies of the valley invaded his olfactory senses. Sesshoumaru was shocked by his own immediate reaction and covered it by scowling at the girl responsible. Something must have shown through because Kagome scooted back further and her eyes began to dart around the room in search of exits. He could smell her fear. _Kami-sama. Doesn't she know what doing that does to a youkai? It makes me want to jump her…_

"Don't do that," he bit out. Kagome jumped.

"Do what?" she asked nervously.

_She's clueless._ "Fidgeting," he answered. "And stop apologizing for everything you do that annoys me, otherwise we'll be stuck here forever." Kagome stopped fidgeting. She glared at him instead.

Her teeth were clenched as she said, "Then please tell me how I may leave, so that I don't bother you anymore, Sesshoumaru."

_There she goes again with "Sesshoumaru". She has a temper for someone so tiny._ He said, "We wait."

"How long do we wait?" she asked. "What are we waiting for? And why am I in your mind?"

"We're waiting for our bodies to arrive wherever the Air Rip is meant to take us. How long, I do not know. It has been approximately two minutes since we were pulled into Naraku's trap. It appears that thoughts are much faster than physical time… as for why you are here… it was the only way to save you at the time."

"I…" She was touched by his concern.

"Don't make anything of it," he suggested. "Now that I know you're so nosy, I won't do it again."

_Why that!_

Kagome took her slipper off with every intention of throwing it at him, or at the very least creating a large dent in his head. Unfortunately, Sesshoumaru knew exactly what she was doing. He looked from her hand, where the blue slipper dangled, to her face. She quickly pulled her hand behind her back, but not before a glint appeared in his eyes.

_Oops…_

[End Part 3]

**Author's notes:**

Is this part better than the last? I liked it more, but I'm biased. ^^ Please let me know.

**Definitions:**

**Hahaue:** (honored) mother – a very old way of saying mother

**Chichiue:** (honored) father – a very old way of saying father

**Kowai:** scary

   [1]: mailto:h_shunu@hotmail.com?subject=Full%20Circle



	4. Nightscape

Full Circle [4] Nightscape

**DISCLAIMER:** All Inuyasha characters are the creation of, and © to Rumiko Takahashi, and subsequent parties. Full Circle is the creation of my demented mind, and © to [Shun'u Hanashiro][1] 2000-2001.

**Author's Notes:** _Italicized_ text (or //) can indicate private/unvoiced thoughts – or – flashback sequences. Colons [::] indicate insinuated thoughts by another character into one's subconscious. Be forewarned that all of the events prior to tankouban 14 of the manga are up for grabs in this story.

**July 2001**

**F U L L ****• C I R C L E**

**An Inuyasha Fanfiction**

By [Shun'u Hanashiro][1]

** **

**Part 4: Nightscape**

Inuyasha's morose attitude was getting old very fast. To put it quite frankly, Miroku wasn't in the mood to listen to another sigh or see another frown. He wanted to *do* something, not just sit there and let things happen around them. He was almost certain that Kagome was alive out there; that Naraku hadn't been able to kill the promising girl with his trap. The only problem was, Inuyasha was not cooperating. Ever since Naraku had tricked Kagome and Sesshoumaru into the Air Rip, the hanyou had been in deep melancholy and stubborn about breaking out of it. Inuyasha sighed again, making Miroku want to shake some sense into him. Enough was enough.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku called out to his friend, who sat on a tree branch with one leg draw up to his chest and the other dangling in mid-air. "How are we going to look for Kagome-sama?"

"You don't have to pretend anymore, houshi," Inuyasha answered tiredly. "She isn't here anymore so you don't have to watch your language."

Miroku's language promptly deteriorated. "What the fuck, Inuyasha! You're giving up too easily. Do you think Naraku has the power to kill Kagome?"

Something he said caught the half-youkai's attention, for Inuyasha glared down at him with burning eyes. He said, "You saw it happen, Miroku. There's no denying that they're gone."

"There must be a way to bring her back," Miroku argued.

Inuyasha suddenly leaped down from his perch and grabbed the houshi by his collar to shake him. His voice, when he spoke, was harsh. "Have you ever seen anyone return from the Air Rip?" Inuyasha gave him a hard shake. "Have you?!" When no answer was forthcoming, Inuyasha released him. Miroku staggered back, catching his balance with his staff. "They're dead, Miroku. We couldn't, no – *I* couldn't save them."

Inuyasha stalked off into the night.

Miroku tiredly rubbed his throbbing temples before settling down by the campfire, next to Shippou's sleeping form. The kitsune's face was tearstained from his crying, which had occurred that afternoon when he had woken from his induced sleep, care of Miroku and Inuyasha's fists, to find Kagome well and truly gone. A nightmare: that was what had become of their quiet summer day.

**********

_That was too close of a call._

Naraku slammed his fist down, cracking the gleaming wooden flooring of his most recently acquired castle. Although he was cautious by nature and always took care to know his opponents' strengths and weaknesses, today he had almost lost to that hanyou and his brother. It was unforgivable. He hissed in fury over the humiliation.

_Insufferable creatures. You've ruined my plans one last time, Inuyasha. Let's see what you'll be able to do next time. Alone._

That being said, Naraku plotted his next move. He so *loved* to torture that half-breed. It was his single joy in life. Naraku briefly considered the possibility of letting Inuyasha live, if only for his entertainment. He was certain that Inuyasha was now harmless without his allies.

**********

Awareness was slow in coming. It felt as though she had been sleeping for days, when in fact, according to Sesshoumaru, they had spent less than three minutes in the void. During that time both had bided their time in Sesshoumaru's mind, odd as that might have sounded. They had been talking… sort of… when Sesshoumaru had shushed her and told her to be prepared. His exact words weren't nearly so comforting as the way Kagome interpreted them to be, but she needed all of the consolation she could get, and she wasn't picky about where it came from.

Trying to move elicited a moan when her body told her, in no uncertain terms, that it was not ready to do so. Feeling the strong drag of gravity, Kagome let her body slump back down, eyes tightly closed, and curled into a tight ball of misery. Which lasted less than half a minute before someone rudely pulled her upright by her right arm. She was pretty sure she knew who that someone was.

"That hurt, you know," Kagome muttered drowsily before rubbing her heavy eyelids with closed fists.

She cautiously cracked her eyes open to see a very odd land of grays and browns interspersed with mottled green. She leaned heavily into Sesshoumaru's side; her body was aching and she wasn't really worried about whether or not he was able to handle her weight, or even if he was in pain as well. If he wanted to wake her up, then he could deal with the consequences. Kagome took in her unusual surroundings with wide eyes.

"Are we still on Earth?" she asked in a whisper.

"… Perhaps not." He answered quietly.

Contrary to Kagome's opinion, Sesshoumaru was fully aware of her physical aches and pains, though he did not suffer from the same. For a moment he worried about the possible side affects of having her in his mind, but he brushed those vague concerns aside in favor of solving their immediate problems. He didn't think that it would be wise to stay out in the open and be bait for whatever predators preyed upon the unwary in this surreal land of shimmering air and cracked earth. A quick scan of the immediate area told him that there was no running water readily available, which would be the first thing that they needed to find. Next in line were shelter and food, for the latter preferably edible fruits so that they would have a source of fluids if they never found potable water. Deciding that they were wasting time by staying still, Sesshoumaru tightened his hold on Kagome's arm and started in the direction of their most likely source of shelter and food: the trees he could see in the distance.

"Wait." Kagome tugged on her arm and dug her heels into dry earth, trying to free herself. "Wait, Sesshoumaru-san."

"What is it?" he asked impatiently. He was certain that they weren't in their world anymore; the sun was moving in the wrong direction.

"My shoe," she pointed out.

He looked past her shoulder to see a blue silk slipper lying desolately between two cracks in the dry earth. It was the shoe that she had been about to hit him with. He debated making her leave it to teach her a lesson, but discarded the idea, as it would be petty, and unworthy of him. He released Kagome so that she could retrieve it. _We're still dressed in these kimonos… what does that mean? Naraku, what have you done?_ He figuratively shook the thoughts away when Kagome returned with both shoes on. Not really thinking of anything other than expediency, Sesshoumaru grabbed Kagome's hand and started walking again. Too busy scanning the land for possible clues and keeping alert in case they were ambushed, he failed to notice Kagome's startled reaction to his hold on her hand.

They walked for miles before the landscape changed at all, and that change was in the form of a pitifully scrawny orange and green shrub that poked out of the dry dirt in the middle of nowhere. Kagome was reminded of Salvador Dali, a western artist her art teacher had once made her research to make up for her frequent absences in school. Like his art, this land was surreal. Objects that should have been sharply defined were soft and pliant; things that should have been obvious were altered ever so slightly so that it was no longer what it should have been, although still recognizable. That shrub was a prime example.

**********

They finally reached the forest of tall, imposing trees by dusk. Kagome was tired and thirsty, and not in the best of moods, so she didn't say a word when Sesshoumaru left her sitting on a dry log to scout the immediate area. Curled up on the log with knees drawn to her chest and arms wrapped tight about her legs, Kagome dozed. That was how Sesshoumaru found her when he returned with a bundle of dry wood and a dozen exotic fruits. He paused at the edge of the wooded clearing and thought, yet again, that he had somehow lost his mind.

**********

The Shikon no Tama was nearby. Kikyou could feel its dark power pressing down on her, calling to her.

_It must be Naraku… the jewel would not have this taint if that girl had possession of it._

Kikyou frowned. Again, thinking of Kagome only brought chaotic confusion into her otherwise focused and tranquil psyche. With an effort, she shook off all thought of Kagome, and instead searched for the jewel with her powers.

She found Naraku's castle by a small river. It was set atop a hill and looked haunted in the evening light, surrounded as it was by looming trees and outcroppings of wild foliage. Demonic power radiated off of the castle, casting shadows darker than night, and making Kikyou's already acute sensitivity to the jewel sharper. She quickened her pace.

Once she was inside, Kikyou found that the estate had very few attendants, which made it all the easier for her to roam about and find Naraku. If she was lucky, then Naraku would be alone, and she would be able to find some answers to that morning's events.

**********

_Damn them. Damn them all._ Inuyasha dashed furiously through the forest in a futile effort to escape his demons. He had been avoiding all thought of Kagome and Sesshoumaru for a reason, damn it. Couldn't Miroku at least show some semblance of sensitivity? Was that too much to ask? _Hell no_, Inuyasha swiped at an innocuous tree branch viciously. He didn't see it disintegrate and crumble to the earth in splinters from his blow.

Distantly he was aware that his vision had been blurring for quite some time, and that his cheeks were damp; he could taste salt on his lips. Swallowing through a painfully tight throat, Inuyasha came to a stop at the Go-Shinboku. He sagged against the solid tree trunk and sank to his knees. Crouching in the midst of thick roots and tangled ivy, Inuyasha let his puffy eyes close and rubbed telltale rivulets away. He didn't know how his madness induced run had somehow brought him full circle back to the old god tree, but there he was: back to where he had died at the hands of his first love, and come back to life again by Kagome's will to live.

_Kagome…_

It was his fault. He had selfishly kept her here, in a past where she didn't belong, only so that he could collect the Shikon no kakera to become a full demon. Endangering her in his hot-tempered recklessness had only been one of his many sins against her, he knew. Despite all of the times that he ignored her complaints about missing her family and falling behind in her education, he knew that each hour, each minute she spent with him, was another moment away from her loved ones back in her time. He couldn't even bring himself to call that future her "home". To do so would be admitting that she did not belong with him.

::But she doesn't.::

"Ugh," Inuyasha slapped his hands over his ears in denial. The physical barrier did nothing to stop the insidious voice.

::What? Does the truth hurt? Poor, poor boy.::

"No," he whispered. "It's not true."

::You made her unhappy. You always made her cry. Why would she have wanted to stay with you?::

"Shut. Up." He told the persistent voice in his head.

::You know what I say is true. Don't deny it. She only came back here out of a sense of duty. She felt responsible for the Shikon no Tama. She felt nothing for you.::

Inuyasha remembered how often they would argue whenever Kagome wanted to return to her time. Each occasion always ended up with Kagome jumping back into the Bone-Eater's Well, but not before he found himself eating dirt. Sometimes she ignored him, much to his consternation, other times she would be furious and accuse him of being insensitive. Occasionally he would hear her muffled sniffles. During those times guilt gnawed at him for making her cry. But even so, he wouldn't hear of her going back. Who knew what kind of trouble she could get into without him there to protect her?

That voice scorned him. ::YOU were always the cause of her hurts. Each time she was endangered, it was because she was with you. She was never in danger in her own time.::

"What about the Noh Mask demon?" Inuyasha countered.

::An anomaly.:: The voice answered smoothly.

"And how about the spirits who attacked her in that hospital?"

::…Nothing serious…::

But Inuyasha could taste the voice's annoyance. He smirked in triumph.

A couple of things became clear to him in that moment. One, he was speaking to an enemy and not to his subconscious as he had originally thought. Two, this enemy knew too much about him, yet not nearly enough about Kagome. Which meant one thing to Inuyasha.

"You can stop playing your games, Naraku," he whispered victoriously. "I'm onto your tricks."

Nobody answered him.

_And I'll make you pay for what you've done… First Kikyou, and now you've killed my brother and Kagome. There will be no mercy for you… because you've taken away my only living family, and the one person who taught me the meaning of compassion._

Under the Go-Shinboku's cool shade, Inuyasha's eyes flared a brilliant gold before a deep blood red seeped into them, covering the whites of his eyes. Inuyasha unsheathed Tetsusaiga, holding the naked, rusty and nicked blade in his hands. Raising his head to look at the tree that had sheltered him during his fifty-year death, he came to a decision.

**********

Later, a villager making his way through the woods to return home after a long day of hunting would stop to stare at the immense tree in wonder. For it was impaled at the very heart, where the legendary Inuyasha was once cursed, by an old katana in such a way that only the worn hilt of the sword was visible. The villager hurried to Kaede's hut, to tell her about the mysterious sword, and find out what creature would be powerful enough to wound the old god tree in that way, when not even the gigantic centipede demon had been able to cause it harm in her fury.

**********

"Humph," Naraku dropped the Shikon no Tama into his lap. "Seems that I've underestimated his intelligence."

"That is not the only error that you have committed, Naraku," Kikyou said from the room's entrance.

"Kikyou…"

The undead priestess did not feel like being polite. She cut to the core of the matter. "What are you up to?"

"None of your business, Kikyou," Naraku tucked the jewel into his sleeve and turned so that he was face-to-face with her. He didn't trust her not to stab him in the back.

"You are wrong there, Naraku." Kikyou narrowed her eyes, making her face look less beautiful and more evil. Naraku stiffened and shifted onto his feet in one fluid motion, wary of an attack yet unwilling to show his trepidation. He had his pride, after all, and it had already been badly damaged by that morning's encounter with Sesshoumaru. Kikyou continued to speak, "Anything involving Inuyasha is my business. After all, *I* will be the one to end his life, no one else." She whispered the last three words like in a sibilant hiss.

Intellectually, Naraku knew that Kikyou only felt hatred for the half-breed. But in some corner of his being, the weak half that was Onigumo, who had been human and needy, he was jealous of Inuyasha for being the focus of Kikyou's existence. Sick as it may seem, he would rather be the one she hated, if all she could feel was hatred.

Knowing that he was too close to losing control of his emotions, Naraku decided that retreat would be wiser than confronting Kikyou at that time. Calling on the powers of the jewel, Naraku fled the castle faster than Kikyou could catch onto his intentions and trap him with one of her spells.

The priestess was left with only a faint trace of Naraku's youki lingering in the air. She stooped to pick up a piece of paper that Naraku had dropped in his haste to escape. Reading its contents, she smiled. It was time to find Inuyasha.

**********

After roaming the forest for most of the night in search of Naraku, Inuyasha returned to the village to find that with the exception of Sango, who was still away and exorcising demons, everyone was there and waiting for him. He considered avoiding them altogether. It definitely would have been easier to let Miroku and Kaede deal with Shippou while he hunted Naraku, but he somehow felt responsible for the kit. After all, Shippou had known him and Kagome the longest. In a way, they were family. It would have been like abandoning his little brother. Inuyasha scowled. _No time for those thoughts._

"Inuyasha," Kaede greeted him in her old, shaky voice. She hid her surprise at his youkai form rather well.

He stepped fully into the small hut, let the plain blue curtain drop behind him, and scanned his friends' faces. None of them registered any great shock over his appearance. He exchanged curt nods with Miroku, and sat down with legs crossed and arms folded. He closed his eyes.

Nobody spoke for a long while.

"Inuyasha," Shippou said.

"What?"

"Is Kagome really dead?"

How was he supposed to answer that? Truthfully, he supposed. "Yes."

"No."

Inuyasha's eyes shot open.

Kaede whispered, "Kikyou-oneesama…"

[End Part 4]

**Definitions:**

**Hanyou:** half-demon

**Youkai:** demon

**Shikon no Tama: "Jewel of Four Souls" Breaking down the Japanese words, this is literally [FOUR SOUL(s) (particle indicating possession) JEWEL/SPHERE/BEAD], however one must use a lot of context clues when translating Japanese. =P**

**Kakera:** shard/piece

**Go-Shinboku:** the "Old God Tree" as per Viz' translation. Breaking down the Japanese words, this is literally [GOD TREE]

**Houshi: wandering monk? … I have to look this up. (Gomen ^^;)**

**-sama: The suffix attached to a name when addressing someone. This is a more formal form than the standard "-san" which is appropriate for politely addressing all people. To use this suffix denotes great respect for the person being addressed.**

**Oneesama:** honored elder sister

**A note about the honorary "O":** This is used in front of family titles as is seen in words such as Oneesan and Ojiisan. The Japanese honorary O is also used in some words, such as Ofuro (bath) and Osake (rice wine). The added "O" indicates great respect. This may sound odd for westerners to add to common words such as rice or bath, but to the Japanese it is a common practice. The "O" is not used indiscriminately.

   [1]: mailto:h_shunu@hotmail.com?subject=Full%20Circle



	5. Caveat Emptor

Full Circle [5] Caveat Emptor

**DISCLAIMER:** All Inuyasha characters are the creation of, and © to Rumiko Takahashi, and subsequent parties. Full Circle is the creation of my demented mind, and © to [Shun'u Hanashiro][1] 2000-2001.

**Author's Notes:** _Italicized_ text (or //) can indicate private/unvoiced thoughts – or – flashback sequences. Colons [::] indicate insinuated thoughts by another character into one's subconscious. Be forewarned that all of the events prior to tankouban 14 of the manga are up for grabs in this story.

A special thanks to everyone who has emailed me or reviewed about this story. It's wonderful hearing from you, and your positive feedback has been a great incentive for me to write more. Hope that you continue to read as the story unfolds.

**July 2001**

**F U L L ****• C I R C L E**

**An Inuyasha Fanfiction**

By [Shun'u Hanashiro][1]

** **

**Part 5: Caveat Emptor (i.e., Buyer Beware)**

"How do you know this, Oneesama?" Kaede asked when it was apparent that no one else would.

Inuyasha was frozen and unresponsive to pointed looks from all present. Shippou was simply too frightened of the undead priestess to do anything other than tremble and clutch onto Inuyasha's sleeve. Miroku was looking at Kikyou, but his expression revealed great disgust and antagonism. Therefore, Kaede decided to intervene before harsh words could be exchanged.

Kikyou spoke to her sister without removing her unwavering gaze from Inuyasha's bowed head. "Because I happened to interrupt Naraku in the middle of one of his games. He dropped this," she handed the water-stained and battered parchment to Kaede. "I believe this is the answer to some of your current problems."

"Why?"

A single blink was her only reaction to his brusque tone of voice. "Why what, Inuyasha?"

He finally looked at her. Eye to eye, they were on equal ground despite the fact that he was still sitting and she was standing over him. The sheer starkness and intensity in his expression caused a prickle of fear to run through her; for the first time since being reawakened by Urasue, she felt as if *he* saw *her* as an enemy, and not the other way around... Her right hand clenched within the folds of her priestess garb when he continued to speak.

"You know what I'm asking. Why are you here? Why are you telling us this?"

Kikyou was bewildered though she hid it well behind her cool façade. When she had entered the small hut earlier, she had not seen his face because he had been staring at the floor. Now that his face was upturned, she could see the crimson eyes with pinpoint pupils and unearthly glowing white skin: characteristics only a full-blooded youkai would have. Questions flooded her mind.

_What happened to you, Inuyasha? How did you become a full youkai without using the Shikon no Tama's powers to purge your human blood? …Why are you treating me like this?_

Snapping back to reality when she realized the direction of her thoughts, Kikyou turned her back to him and began walking back to the entranceway. On the threshold she spoke. "I do not appreciate Naraku's interference," she stated. "Only *I* am permitted to destroy you… and no one may come between us, be it in life… or in death."

Inuyasha whispered, "Kagome's your reincarnation, Kikyou."

"That is something that I shall never forgive, Inuyasha." With that truth hovering between them, Kikyou departed.

Once the priestess was out of earshot, Shippou shuddered dramatically and rubbed his little arms as if to reestablish warmth. "Boy, I'd hate to be in your shoes, Inuyasha."

Miroku absently patted the kit's head. He said, "What is that scroll, Kaede-baasan? Is it true that Kagome-sama could have survived?"

"It seems to be a spell…" Kaede squinted to see the tiny writing on the scroll. Her aged eyes ached from the strain. "According to this scroll, a spell can be cast on one's enemy to cause them to be lost in the fabric of time, never to return to this life."

"Hmm…" Miroku thought about all of the spells and wards in his repertoire, trying to see if this one bore any similarity to one that he already knew.

Kaede peered closer at the tiny print. "There is mention of a black hole."

"Feh," Inuyasha grumbled and crossed his arms. "Sounds like the Air Rip to me. And we already know that's what Naraku used." He refused to bring his hopes up only to have them dashed again.

Miroku sat up. "May I see that please, 'Baasan?"

Seeing Miroku's eager expression, Inuyasha was unwillingly curious. His eyebrows arrowed into a frown. "What's up with you, Houshi?"

"Kikyou may be a manipulative, hateful bitch," Miroku ignored Inuyasha's low growl. He didn't care if Inuyasha knew of, or objected to his dislike and distrust of the priestess. "But she doesn't do anything without reason. And she doesn't lie." Inuyasha silently agreed with him on that point. Miroku continued, "If she says Kagome's alive, and Naraku was using this scroll, that could mean only one thing."

"What are you getting at, Miroku?" Shippou hopped onto the houshi's shoulder to better see the manuscript that Miroku held. "Is Kagome alive? Can we save her?"

Miroku's confident grin was an answer in itself.

*******************************

_"Inuyasha! Inuyasha, snap out of it; it's a trap!" Kagome yelled the warning from her position against a large tree trunk._

_A few moments ago, Kikyou had trapped her there after she had stumbled upon the priestess by accident. Now she became an unwilling witness to the touching reunion between Kikyou and Inuyasha. It was so confusing. Her mind told her that this was all wrong, that Kikyou was dead and this was only a false body of earth and bones that housed vengeful thoughts and feelings. And yet… her heart inserted that it was right that the star-crossed lovers should be together again after the injustices they had fallen victim to half a century ago._

_Heart and mind waged a silent, noisy war. In the end, neither won, as her weary soul could take no more of the turmoil they stirred up and simply ordered them to shut-up. Both did. After all, soul was the ultimate ruler of them all._

_And her soul watched as Kikyou proceeded to bewitch Inuyasha into a trancelike state, to the point where the hanyou could no longer distinguish between mortal danger and everlasting peace. The innate cruelty of Kikyou's actions finally drove Kagome into action once more. Now Mind and soul joined forces to tie heart down hand and foot - adding a gag for sure measure - and they screamed out a warning to Inuyasha._

_He finally heard the cacophony and broke from the enchantment to see Kagome not even a leap's distance away. She sighed in relief when his eyes cleared up and awareness returned. Though she was still angry with him for falling under Kikyou's spell, relief overshadowed all else. He was safe._

Sesshoumaru woke with a start. His heart was beating abnormally fast in his chest, as if fighting to escape from its natural prison of bones and flesh. Sweat dotted his brow; and if a mirror were available to him at the moment, he would have been able to see that his pupils had dilated to the point where only a thin rim of gold was visible around jet-black pupils. He ran a shaky hand through sleep-tousled hair, encountered a tangle, and cursed.

_What the hell happened?_

The only response to his question was the trilling of a nightingale in the lightening shadows. Knowing that he was much too wired to return to sleep, Sesshoumaru leaped down from his perch on a tree branch to the even ground below. Before moving further, he extended his senses, letting tendrils of power snake through the chilly pre-dawn morning to feel for possible enemies. He found none. Satisfied that all was well for the moment, Sesshoumaru began to head in the direction of a spring he had found the prior evening.

Two seconds later he remembered Kagome – a missing Kagome.

His curse could not have been more succinct.

**********

"C-c-c-c-cold! Mou! Why don't I ever wind up anywhere with *hot* water springs."

However, as much as she complained, the prospects of being clean and cold, versus dirty and sweaty, were just too tempting to deny. Sucking in a resolute breath and braving the chance of hypothermia, Kagome went from dipping her toes into the icy pond to diving head first from the boulder upon which she was balanced.

Sesshoumaru shook his head in disbelief as Kagome resurfaced with teeth chattering and slim arms hugging her pale shoulders. He absently wondered how her fetish with bathing had developed, recalling another time when he had found her bathing beneath a canopy of green leaves and dappled sunlight. Sesshoumaru scowled. _That's definitely the wrong thing to think about when she's naked, idiot._ He didn't know exactly whom he was calling an idiot, but it sounded suspiciously as though he was talking to himself. Again. _Damn._

Since going in to get her would only arouse her fury, he chose to take the wise course and return to their camp and await her return.

**********

Kyosuke heard the humming first. Soft and lilting, it had no place being in such an ugly world. And then he found his water nymph, a lovely creature of glowing ivory skin and glossy midnight hair.

He had thought that he was in hell. Literally. But perhaps not, as his angel couldn't possibly have been cast into the realm of the dead. Surely she could not have committed any sin so great that she would be forced to endure a life in darkness. Kyosuke sighed a great sigh. Maybe she was a test, he thought. Yes! She was a test of his will, of his resolution - only a day old, mind you - to reform his ways and follow the way of Buddha.

He happily tossed that resolution to the winds as his angel glided beneath the waters for the edge of the spring.

**********

_What is this feeling? My heart races…_

A dark scowl graced his refined features.

_Damned girl. I wouldn't be in this predicament if you only knew how to use your powers correctly. Then I wouldn't have been forced by circumstances to shield you in the void. And *then* I wouldn't be suffering from this cursed sympathy for you._

_And who asked you to save her, idiot?_

_Shut up._

_You did it because you like her._ That other voice loftily intoned from its perch on a high horse.

He scoffed. _No such thing. She's another encumbrance that I don't need. And she's human._ He added that last as an afterthought.

_How the mighty doth fall._ Laughter.

He frowned deeper and tried to take comfort in imagining killing the voice in his head. Unfortunately, every time he tried to picture that voice, the image he always conjured was his own reflection. There was nothing worse to his peace of mind than knowing that he was internally divided. Greatly irritated that he was fractured in his feelings, Sesshoumaru decided to hunt. He hoped that there were youkai in this world that he had landed in, because killing humans was too easy and unsatisfying. He wanted a good fight.

_Huh, the one time Inuyasha's presence would be welcomed, and he isn't here. How ironic._

**********

_She's coming out! Should I look away?_ Kyosuke briefly fought with his conscience. In the end desire won out over long unused morals and he peered around the tree trunk he was hidden behind to watch the girl rise from the pool. Any weaker man would have suffered a severe nosebleed at the sight, but not Kyosuke. He was made of sterner stuff. He edged closer.

Wrapped up as he was in what he was doing, Kyosuke never heard the youkai approach from behind him until long, pale fingers wrapped themselves around his neck, and squeezed.

"Kisama…"

Kyosuke jerked and gasped for air through a now closed airway. _Is that a growl?_ The low rumbling confirmed his initial suspicion. _Yes, definitely a growl. Oh, shit… this guy's *strong*._

**********

The surge of youki was Kagome's first sign that there was trouble nearby. Hastily dressing herself, Kagome twisted the excess dampness from her long hair as she ducked behind a boulder. The little droplets of water that dripped from tangled black locks made very loud plopping sounds in the absolute silence. Apparently all of the forest's other inhabitants were also hiding from the impending explosion.

When nothing more than silence could be heard, Kagome carefully peeked around her stone barricade and looked towards the source of the power. At first she could see nothing but trees and grass. Then she saw it: a flash of white. Her mind connected that color with only one person.

_Sesshoumaru-san?_

Almost in answer to her unvoiced question, she felt a sense of reassurance wash over her. Yes, it was definitely the youkai lord – and a very angry lord, at that. As with so many other things in her life lately, she didn't question how she knew these facts. She simply followed her instincts.

**********

"Let

"Me 

"Go."

Kyosuke could only gasp out one syllable at a time as he dangled in the air from the taller creature's hold. His feet kicked ineffectually behind him, intending to hit his captor, but only getting empty air, as he could not see his opponent.

Sesshoumaru ignored the human's words and actions as he pulled back his right hand; palm flat and fingers extended into a spear hand, he began to draw on his innate power. Wisps of eerie green light pulsed about his hand and wound up his arm as the only indication that he was about cause the human an excruciating death by poison.

Earlier, he had had every intention of going hunting to vent his frustration, and had only come back to the spring to let Kagome know of his whereabouts so that she wouldn't worry about his disappearance. That was when he had found this, this voyeur, he thought with disgust. For some reason the notion of anyone intruding on the girl's peaceful moment did not sit well with him. Even worse was the thought of this human taking advantage of her innocence. It brought all of his heretofore-unrealized protective instincts to the fore and made his blood boil.

_Sesshoumaru-san?_

He was startled to hear her call to him telepathically. _When did *this* develop? Her powers…_

Once his initial surprise was over, he calmed down enough to know that Kagome was now aware of his whereabouts and, in all likelihood, would not take well to his killing someone in cold blood - however justified he felt he was. Especially when that someone might be able to help them get out of their predicament. Sesshoumaru frowned, unhappy at his own compliance to her unspoken wishes. He noticed that the human was turning an interesting shade of purple. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the lecher flying into a tree and tumbling to the ground. Then he took his time dusting his hands and adjusting the fall of his kimono as he waited for Kagome to arrive. She wasn't long in coming.

Skidding to a halt, Kagome spared a quick glance for the fallen man to make sure that he was still breathing before turning to her companion. Smoky blue eyes flicked over him to scan for any obvious injuries.

"Sesshoumaru-san? Are you all right?"

Sesshoumaru was a little surprised and, disturbingly, a lot pleased to find that she was worried about him foremost. He was even feeling the beginning tugs of a small smile, when she decided that he was fine and turned to check on the fallen human. His pleasure died a quick death. Miffed at how quickly she dismissed him, he tried for his habitual mask of indifference but could only manage to glare at her retreating form.

**********

In the background, Kyosuke pulled his abused body into a somewhat sitting position. His back ached and his throat hurt like the devil. All in all, Kyosuke was really tempted to use the Air Rip on the youkai who had attacked him. In fact, he had already started to unwind the prayer beads that sealed his cursed hand when the girl he had been watching appeared. Kyosuke resealed his hand and decided that looking pitiful right then might be in his favor. No sooner had the thought occurred to him did he remember the very real pain he was feeling. The little moan was more real than he would have liked as he rubbed his sore throat.

"Are you all right?"

Playing his trump card, Kyosuke rose, got halfway there, then slumped back to the ground again. His angel was appropriately sympathetic.

"Oh! You're hurt. Is there anything that I can do?"

She knelt by his side and laid her hand on his shoulder. Kyosuke let her place his head in her lap, and blessed his luck. Upon closer inspection she was even more ethereal than he had thought possible for a human girl. _So beautiful…_ Drifting in contentment, Kyosuke forgot about the youkai who was still present and watching everything with a sharp eye. That is, until said youkai spoke.

"Kagome, get away from him."

_Kagome? So that's my angel's name._ He opened an eye to see that the youkai had gotten alarmingly close. A cold shadow fell on Kyosuke.

"But he's-"

"Playing up his injuries," the youkai finished.

Kyosuke cursed his luck. Catching the other man's suspicious narrowed gaze, he decided to retreat for the time being. He managed another moan and whispered, "Please, miss, I'm all right."

Kagome looked at him in concern when he tried to stand on his own. "Are you sure you're all right? You seem a little wobbly on your feet."

"Oh no, I'm fine," he said. "Just a little worse for wear."

Accepting his answer at face value, Kagome bowed politely and introduced them since it was obvious that Sesshoumaru wasn't about to. "I'm Kagome," she said, "and this is Sesshoumaru. Pleased to meet you."

_Sesshoumaru… where have I heard that name before?_ Out loud, he said, "I am called Kyosuke."

"Ano… Kyosuke-sama, how is it that you came to be here?"

**********

_You've got to be kidding me…_ Kyosuke kicked another harmless rock out of his way as he followed the pair walking ahead of him. Ideally he would be side by side with the lovely girl, but no, Sesshoumaru was having none of that. And it became obvious after dropping some not so subtle and rather useless hints that Kagome was willing to let the pretty-boy demon call the shots so long as he didn't go on a killing rampage. Needless to say, Kyosuke's day had darkened drastically from that morning. _How the hell did I get myself into this predicament?_ He sighed.

Kagome's long explanation of how she came to be in this world had amazed Kyosuke. To hear that his enemy, the hanyou who had cursed his father and everyone male in their lineage with the Air Rip, was still alive and causing havoc in the world… Kyosuke fingered his sealing prayer beads. _Naraku… there's still a chance that I can avenge my family… and… I have a son…_

"Kagome-sama," he called to her. Kagome turned to look at him. He paused to take in her lovely features. "You mentioned this Miroku…"

"Yes," Kagome waited for him to catch up with her and Sesshoumaru, ignoring the youkai lord's dark glares at the Houshi. Kyosuke did the same, much to Sesshoumaru's annoyance.

"Tell me more about him, please."

Kagome thought about this for some time before saying, "He's a lot like you."

Kyosuke felt his heart constrict, "Really?"

"Hai," she said gently. "You're his father, aren't you Kyosuke-sama?"

His brown eyes widened. "H-how did you know?"

"Because you have the same looks," being sensitive to Kyosuke's feelings Kagome spoke carefully, "and you're both very kind although you don't like to show it very much." Then she remembered the fact that he had been watching her bathe and her charitable mood waned. "And you're both lecherous."

A few paces in front of the two humans, Sesshoumaru heard Kagome's comment and fought the unexpected grin that threatened to break his cold mask. Of course the Houshi vehemently denied what she said, but Kagome was no fool as the youkai lord was gradually coming to understand. The tension in his neck eased and he shortened his strides so that he wasn't quite so far ahead of them.

**********

That evening, Kyosuke somehow managed to find a castle and talk the master of the house into letting them stay for the night in exchange for his services as a monk – despite the fact that there weren't any demon possessions occurring on the estate, and despite the fact that Kyosuke was bringing a demon into the castle himself. Sesshoumaru ignored the Houshi's dealings when Kagome made it clear by her calm expression that she had expected something like this to happen. He didn't care what the Houshi did. He simply wanted a soft futon to sleep on. The arguments didn't start in until they were shown to their rooms. Or rather, two rooms.

"You are not sleeping in the same room as me." Sesshoumaru stared down his nose at the shorter man. Even sitting cross-legged with his hands tucked into his voluminous sleeves, he was able to do this effectively.

"As if I would want to," Kyosuke retorted. His eyes began to shine as his imagination took off without his sense of self-preservation. "I would much rather spend the night in Kagome-sama's lovely presence."

Kagome ignored the both of them and continued to sip on her tea. She was on familiar ground in this instance and was confident that matters would resolve themselves in due time. Sooner or later one of them would end up either outside or knocked out. That was how it always happened with Inuyasha and Miroku. She didn't take into account that this was Sesshoumaru they were dealing with, and he was nowhere near as sweet and innocent as Inuyasha could be.

A mellow voice intruded on her quiet meditation.

"Kagome-sama, would you mind if this humble monk were to share-"

A low rumble of power echoed throughout the castle. At the opposite end of the estate, the middle-aged master of the house emitted a terrified shriek and huddled deeper under his covers as if they would protect him from vengeful demons. He uttered prayers that the monk he had taken in would be able to ward off all evil from his home.

_What's he so upset about now?_ Failing to decipher Sesshoumaru's frame of mind, Kagome shrugged it off as being another one of his erratic mood swings. She smiled at Kyosuke to take the bite out of her words. "That might not be a good idea, Kyosuke-sama. We wouldn't want you to die in your sleep from poisoning or from having your heart ripped out of you, would we?"

Kyosuke stifled a shudder when Sesshoumaru managed a pleased smile at the gory image. _Okay, if *he* smiles, it's a bad thing._ No he did not want to think about what Sesshoumaru was capable of doing to him in cold blood, let alone with his temper riled. It had taken all day but at some point in the late afternoon he had remembered precisely where he had heard of the youkai lord before: in villages where parents told their children horror stories about Sesshoumaru in order to keep them from sneaking out at nighttime or from misbehaving. At temples that he had visited throughout the Land of the Rising Sun, monks warned him of crossing certain territories, in case he would encounter the youkai who was capable of killing hundreds of demons without remorse. Yes, he remembered the tales now. And although he was certain that most of it was exaggerated, where there was a story to tell, there was certainly some small grain of truth.

But he was not so easily deterred. Kyosuke sighed dramatically and took hold of Kagome's small hands, folding them within his own. "Kagome-sama," he paused for dramatic affect.

Kagome resigned herself to the inevitable. This too was familiar. "Yes, Kyosuke-sama?" she asked absently. She was busy keeping a wary eye on Sesshoumaru whose jaw was clenching and unclenching in a steadily increasing tempo. She could have sworn a vein was throbbing at his temple._ What's gotten into him?_

"Would you do me the honor of bearing my child?"

Sesshoumaru stood.

Kagome was distracted from him by Kyosuke's question. "Umm… Kyosuke-sama?"

"Yes?"

"You already have a son, remember?"

He had forgotten. Kyosuke bore his chagrin with aplomb. "But I don't know if he'll fall victim to the Air Rip like myself, Kagome-sama. This is so that my line can be guaranteed to continue."

Kagome would have beaten him into the ground for that one, but someone beat her to the punch.

"That hurt, you know," Kyosuke groaned from where his face was plastered against the wall he had been thrown into with the power behind Sesshoumaru's strike.

The trembling master of the house began to cry in his room as a loud crashing sound came to his ears. He pulled out a blank scroll, ink and a horsehair brush to write a will for his descendents. He was certainly going to die that night if the monk was not able to overcome the evil in his castle. And to think, he had never even noticed the dark forces that hovered over his home until the monk had brought it to his attention. He decided to include a small amount for the monk in his will and testament as well.

Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru was seriously contemplating killing the Houshi. He was pretty sure that annoyance wasn't grounds for killing someone in Kagome's viewpoint, but for him it certainly was.

[End Part 5]

**Definitions:**

**-baba:** a (not really polite) suffix used by Inuyasha when addressing Kaede. Basically, he's calling her "old woman", but we can interpret this to mean "grandmother".

**Hanyou:** half-demon [In Inuyasha and Naraku's cases the other half is human. But you never know about other demons… ^^;]

**Kisama:** "bastard", a very rude way of calling/addressing someone. Usually said by males (^^;).

**Ano:** "Well…" "Um…" (Can mean any of these things.)

**Hai:** Yes, okay, sure

**Hanase:** I didn't use this term when Kyosuke said, "Let me go," simply because I wasn't sure about its correct usage. As with many things in Japanese, some words are more appropriate when said by a man, and others by a woman. Since I've mostly heard "hanase" used by female characters, I didn't want to mistakenly have Kyosuke say it. Like Miroku, he is in no way feminine, and would definitely use the masculine form of the verb.

   [1]: mailto:h_shunu@hotmail.com?subject=Full%20Circle



	6. Creepy, Crawly, Slimy Things

Full Circle [6] Creepy, Crawly, Slimy Things

**DISCLAIMER:** All Inuyasha characters are the creation of, and © to Rumiko Takahashi, and subsequent parties. Full Circle is the creation of my demented mind, and © to [Shun'u Hanashiro][1] 2000-2001.

**Author's Notes:** _Italicized_ text (or //) can indicate private/unvoiced thoughts – or – flashback sequences. Colons [::] indicate insinuated thoughts by another character into one's subconscious. Be forewarned that all of the events prior to tankouban 14 of the manga are up for grabs in this story.

Thanks to everyone's encouraging comments! I love reading your reviews. If any of you ever feel like using AIM, you can contact me that way. Just identify yourself as being an author on ff.net (otherwise I might ignore you ^^;;).

**July 2001**

**F U L L ****• C I R C L E**

**An Inuyasha Fanfiction**

By [Shun'u Hanashiro][1]

"Sesshoumaru-san! Stop it."

Kagome scrambled to get between youkai and priest. Sesshoumaru ignored Kagome's command and sidestepped to the right to pass her by. With every move he made, Kagome blocked him. She was neither aware of the fact that she was protecting a practical stranger nor of the reasons behind her actions. It was almost instinctive on her part: this defense of the underdog.

As if he had heard her thoughts, Kyosuke complained, "Hey."

"Get out of the way, girl," Sesshoumaru ordered.

Kagome followed his every step as he circled around her to get to the fallen priest. "No way, Sesshoumaru-san. We need him to guide us around this place. Couldn't you please try to get along with him?"

"Kagome-sama-" Kyosuke began only to be rudely cut off.

"I don't need his help," Sesshoumaru stated.

Kagome asked, "Do you even know where we are?"

Kyosuke waved his arms in the air to get their attention.

Sesshoumaru ignored him as per usual. He glared down at Kagome and stubbornly remained silent. He refused to respond to her question.

"See?" Kagome took his silence as agreement with her. She practically glowed with the air of someone who'd just won an argument. She said, "We need him."

Those three words made Kyosuke all warm and fuzzy inside. However, that feeling was dampened by the fact that she was still shielding him as if he were incapable of defending himself against Sesshoumaru. Besides that, he was truly upset at how thoroughly the pair was ignoring him. True, Kagome hadn't given any indication that he was anything more than a traveling companion, but nevertheless it still smarted to be overshadowed by another male. It was a matter of pride. Since he couldn't bring himself to be upset at Kagome, the houshi settled for glaring at Sesshoumaru.

A fact that the youkai immediately picked up on – and the fighting began anew.

Kagome sighed and rubbed her temples. Things would never change…

**Part 6: Creepy, Crawly, Slimy Things**

At the very heart of the world in which Sesshoumaru and Kagome had landed, there stood a dilapidated castle constructed of charcoal-gray wood and dark stone. Overrun by untrimmed shrubbery and thick vines, it was obvious at first glance that this place was not maintained with the usual care given to grand estates – for although it was large, the castle gave the appearance of being a haunted place.

Deep within the opaque darkness its walls created, there was an elderly woman with brittle iron-gray hair and wrinkled skin that fell in folds about her round face. Her back was hunched, as if a great weight were constantly upon it. Yet, despite these signs of advanced age, her shriveled claw-like hands were steady as she stirred a brew within an iron pot, and her hazel eyes were bright with intelligence. The brew itself was indistinguishable in its vessel. All that could be seen was the vapor that drifted from its steaming surface in swirls that dissipated into chilly morning air. 

The woman was alone as she gazed deep into the pot.

_Naraku-sama, why is this girl so important to you?_ She watched as Kagome traveled with her companions over ever-changing land, steadily drawing closer to her castle. _And if my old eyes do not deceive me, that is Lord Sesshoumaru with her… and that Houshi whose family you cursed._

_What gods have you angered, Naraku-sama?_

Gathering her gray robes, the old woman stood on creaking limbs and made halting progress to a hanging scroll within the room. Pushing the scroll aside revealed a niche within the wall that contained a small lacquered box of black and gold. Steady fingers deftly flicked the lock open and pulled out a rose colored stone vial. The old woman held the ends of the vial between index finger and thumb, tipping it both ways before up righting it again and pulling the red stopper out. Contained within the vial was an amber liquid that glowed with its own light. She sniffed at it, briefly catching the sweet scent of the poison before she sealed the vial again.

_I will do your bidding, Naraku-sama._ She closed tired eyes. _But I do not think that you will come away unscathed this time._

She murmured into the quiet morning. "Some battles are better left unsought."

**********

"The Gray Witch is an old wise woman who lives at the heart of this world," Kyosuke was explaining to Kagome. "She is said to have some sort of witch or priestess power, and is supposedly the oldest living being in this world. If anyone, she would be the one to seek for answers…"

Sesshoumaru half listened to the Houshi's voice drone on. They had been traveling together for nearly a week now, and only recently did Kyosuke remember about the old witch – a fact that Sesshoumaru made a mental note to *discuss* with Kyosuke at a later time. When they were alone. Ever since that first night's violence they had reluctantly declared a truce at Kagome's behest. She had made a sound argument. They all wanted to escape this world, and it would be to their mutual benefit to work together instead of allowing personality conflicts to slow their progress. Of course both Kyosuke and Sesshoumaru wanted nothing more than to kill each other, but they had reluctantly agreed to disagree: Kyosuke agreed not to make untoward advances on Kagome, and Sesshoumaru agreed not to kill him. Not even accidentally. Which was a great compromise on his part.

As a result, their progress was much swifter as they made their way across the land. However, the strain was beginning to wear on all of them since neither Kyosuke nor Sesshoumaru would speak to each other directly; Kagome had to act as messenger between them even when it was obvious that they could hear each other fine. This resulted in Kagome's temper wearing thin to the point where she wished aloud that she had prayer beads for the both of them. Sesshoumaru had to admire the fact that she was so composed in the face of his own mercurial temper. And although it did not change his low opinion of the human species in the least, it did make his estimation of Kagome rise in proportion to the amount of time he spent in her company. 

**********

"Are you sure this is going to work, Miroku?" The dubious expression on Inuyasha's face made it clear that he did not think so.

"Of course, Inuyasha," Miroku cheerfully slapped the hanyou on his back and grinned confidently. "You should have more faith in me."

Inuyasha snorted. He was still doubtful, but Miroku seemed so sure, and there weren't any other options available to them. _Besides, Kikyou wouldn't have given this scroll to us without a reason…_

::Maybe the reason is to send you to your death.::

"Shut up, Naraku."

::What makes you think that Kikyou would want to *help* you?::

Of course, Naraku's interference cinched his decision. Inuyasha might have been a hot-tempered violent hanyou, but he was not by any means stupid.

"You only say that because you know that this is the answer to saving Kagome, Naraku." He smirked and stated confidently, "You don't want me to go."

Even across the incorporeal distance, he could smell his enemy's displeasure. Inuyasha gave Miroku his answer. "Let's do it, Miroku. Use the Air Rip to send me into this other dimension."

**********

"Damn you, Kikyou." Naraku released a scream of frustration as he threw a harmless vase into the wall, sending it to the netherworld of porcelain, wherever that might have been. "If you hadn't given them that scroll…"

Shoving himself to his feet, Naraku paced the confines of his lavish, over-decorated chamber. His plans were falling apart. Little by little, the unexpected interferences of various people were ruining his careful plotting. His play was so carefully thought out. But the actors weren't keeping to their roles. First Sesshoumaru, then Inuyasha and Kikyou. And that damned Houshi! Naraku paced faster. _I have to calm down. Breathe, Naraku, breathe._ He slowed his pacing. He still had one surprise left.

**********

_What is this?_ The old woman started as she watched Naraku's image appear to her.

"Obaba," Naraku called her.

She stifled her irritation at the insulting name he had cursed her with even as a young woman. "Yes, Naraku-sama?"

"There has been a change in plans."

The old woman known in the Gray Dimension as The Gray Witch kept her head bowed as she rolled her eyes heavenward. "What is it that you wish for me to do, Naraku-sama?"

**********

Shippou watched Inuyasha and Miroku as they cleared a large area in front of the forest free of people and farm animals. Behind him villagers were gathered and talking amongst themselves. He heard snippets of conversations, all of them excited, but more than he expected were very respectful of Inuyasha. Kagome's name was mentioned often.

He still couldn't believe it. Naraku's deception was expected, but the fact that he was able to pull off what he had… Shippou felt angry and helpless, useless. It didn't matter that he was younger, or smaller, or less powerful than the others. He still should have been able to do *something* to help Kagome. Anything but sit around and wait for something to happen. It made him feel like that time he had fought with the Lightning Brothers: powerless.

**********

"Inuyasha."

"What is it, Kaede-baba?"

"Do you think this is a wise decision?"

Inuyasha looked down from his favorite branch, where he had been gathering his thoughts before going to Miroku, who could in all possibility be sending him to his death. Hell no, he wasn't sure of anything. "Course not." He jumped to the ground and started towards where Miroku was waiting. Kaede followed. "But it's our best chance to save Kagome."

"And your brother." She was an old woman who had lived long by human standards, and seen much. It was apparent that Inuyasha had unresolved business with his older brother. There were more skeletons in *that* particular closet than Kikyou and Kagome had together. But then, Inuyasha had always had a great capacity for denial.

The hanyou snorted. "Sesshoumaru has always been able to take care of himself. He needs help from no one."

Was it just her old mind playing tricks on her, or was there grudging respect in Inuyasha's tone? She decided to ask, "Do you suppose that your brother saved Kagome?"

A slight stiffening of the neck and pause mid-step indicated that Inuyasha did not like her question. "Feh, who knows what that cold-blooded bastard would have done?"

"But do you think that he would have helped her?"

"If he felt like it." Inuyasha looked at her over his shoulder. Fleeting sadness flashed in his golden eyes. "You're asking the wrong person, Kaede-baba. I've never been able to understand Sesshoumaru's motives."

Kaede listened to his fading footsteps until he was no longer visible. She leaned heavily on her cane, having felt more and more of her advanced years in these last few days, as she returned to her humble home. Like Shippou, all she could do was wait. Only the passage of time would tell whether or not Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were to ever resolve past differences. She hoped that Kagome-chan was safe.

**********

"Um, who do you think should go in first?" Kagome asked.

They had finally arrived at the castle that was said to be the abode of The Gray Witch. Like her name, the castle was also gray. Every stone, every tile, even down to the wood that formed the castle's structure, everything was gray. It gave Kagome the creeps. Nothing good could live in such drab and colorless conditions. 

Kyosuke decided that this was the perfect time for him to show her how courageous he was. Besides that, he didn't want her to go in first, as there was no telling what kind of creature this witch could be. He might have heard of her, but he had certainly never met her in person before. "I will, Kagome-sama."

"Kagome, tell this fallen monk that we wouldn't want to ruin our chances with the witch because of his offensive behavior." Sesshoumaru was in one of his difficult moods.

"Care to say that to my face, pretty-boy?"

"Stop it, you two." Kagome wasn't really paying attention to them. She had a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was as if someone were watching from the shadows… And that someone reeked of Naraku.

"Do you sense it too?" Sesshoumaru asked her. It never failed to amaze him: her power of perception. He had already felt the dark energy well before reaching their destination, but had refrained from saying anything, as it would not have helped matters for them to worry ahead of time. Apparently his efforts were for nothing.

It was Kyosuke who said what they were all thinking. "Naraku's taint."

"No," Kagome said, "not really Naraku."

"Then what is it?" The houshi asked.

"One of his children," she said.

**********

Miroku was having misgivings. It was easy enough to say that sending Inuyasha into another dimension to save Kagome could be done. Truth was he could very well be sending Inuyasha to his death. And though they had their differences and could by no means be called best of friends, still, they were friends. There was mutual respect and shared battles between them – not to mention Kagome. Miroku didn't want to think of her reaction if she were to ever return and find out about the gamble they had taken to save her. After all these months he understood her well enough to know that she would not have wanted them to endanger themselves for her sake.

And so it was with a heavy heart that Miroku prepared to send his friend into the Air Rip.

**********

"Ready?" Inuyasha asked.

Miroku nodded and straightened from his leaning position against a tree. "Sure. Whenever you are."

Shippou looked from one solemn face to the next. "You're both crazy."

Inuyasha tweaked his tail. "Go back to the village, Shippou. And tell everyone else to stay away too." Ears flat against his head, Shippou did as he was told. "You can come out now, Kikyou."

"Why did you wait until now to call me out, Inuyasha?"

Red and white robes were bright against a backdrop of blue sky and green trees.

"I didn't want Shippou to get caught in the crossfire."

"Do you care about him so much?" Kikyou stopped short of Miroku and Inuyasha. Too far away to be a threat, but close enough to hold their attention: to make them wary. Inuyasha didn't bother to answer her rhetorical question. She already knew the answer anyhow. Kikyou smiled. "You've changed, Inuyasha. I don't know if I should thank my reincarnation, or curse her."

Miroku shifted. "What is it that you came here for, Priestess?" Being around Kikyou made him edgy. She reeked of death.

Kikyou continued to stare at Inuyasha. "You need to be careful in the void, Inuyasha. It can drive you insane with its negative energy. Protect yourself."

"How?"

"You need to shield your mind."

"How?"

This surprised Kikyou. "Do you mean to say that you don't know how to shield yourself from mental attacks?"

Inuyasha was frustrated by her roundabout speech. "Kikyou!"

"Fine." She frowned. It was the first change in her expression since she had revealed herself to them, as that smile had only been the barest twitch of her lips. "Since you don't know how, I will explain it to you. There are certain aspects to each living creature: body, mind, most importantly spirit. Your body you can nourish and protect by eating and taking care of it. Your spirit is an incorporeal essence and it cannot be harmed under normal conditions. Even if your body were destroyed, your spirit would continue to exist outside of the body and in many cases can be reborn into another body. As for your mind, it is like your spirit because it is intangible, but unlike your spirit, it *can* be harmed. Insane people have had their minds shattered or twisted. They were unable to protect themselves mentally. To do this, you need to believe in yourself, Inuyasha. Take that spiritual power and wrap it around yourself, let it shield your mind while in the void."

While Inuyasha was busy absorbing what she had divulged, Kikyou moved to leave. Inuyasha's softly spoken question did not make her turn around, but she did answer him. "Like I said before, Inuyasha. I will be the one who kills you. I can't have you dying by accident in the void, now, can I?"

Miroku was more than a little perturbed. "Love is a mysterious thing, isn't it Inuyasha?"

"Don't be an idiot. She hates me, Miroku."

"Could have fooled me." The houshi couldn't resist poking Inuyasha a little. "Although, I can't blame you for being scared of the way she shows her affection."

"Shut-up, Houshi. We have work to do."

"Yeah, yeah." The lighthearted words had worked to ease their tension, and with Kikyou's timely warning, Miroku was less worried about Inuyasha's journey into the Air Rip. He removed the sealing prayer beads from his cursed right hand. "Ready?"

"Sure." Inuyasha hoped that he sounded confident.

It was too late to turn back.

The Air Rip felt like it was named. First there was nothing but an unnatural stillness. Then gusts of wind gathered strength with at a terrifying speed until they ravaged and tore at his clothes, twisting them about him. His long, white hair whipped into his face with enough force to sting his eyes before he had opportunity to close them. Experiencing this, it made him angry all over again that Kagome had had to face this alone.

Or not.

He remembered that last glimpse he had of his brother; Sesshoumaru had been caught by surprise, but he had remained calm and sheltered Kagome with a gentleness that Inuyasha had not thought him capable of. Thinking on this as he was sucked into possible death, Inuyasha faced the fact that Sesshoumaru was not all that he appeared to be. It was a bitter pill to swallow. He did not want to let go of the anger that had made him strong. Letting that go would mean that he was wrong all of that time, and that he had ostracized his only family.

**********

"The thought of Naraku with children is very unpalatable, Kagome-sama."

For once, Sesshoumaru had to agree with the houshi, though he loathed doing so.

Kagome said, "Naraku creates these youkai and controls them. I'm not quite sure how he does so, but we've already faced quite a few of them and they're formidable."

"Are they absolutely loyal to Naraku?"

"…I'm not sure…"

"No," Sesshoumaru said. Kagome looked at him. It was eerie how she didn't even have to ask her question before he knew what it was. That worried him. "In order for them to be effective tools, they must be able to think on their own, to be able to make decisions when a situation gets out of hand. It goes to follow that Naraku does not control them completely."

"Then we have an opportunity," Kyosuke surmised. He forgot about their silent war in his contemplation of the problem at hand.

"Aa."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Kagome asked.

"I'll go ahead," Kyosuke offered. "Kagome-sama, you stay between us. That way if there's danger, you'll be protected."

Kagome was miffed. It wasn't like she was helpless. She still had her bow and quiver, and she had improved a lot over the past few months. The descent of Sesshoumaru's hand on her shoulder broke through her escalating frustration.

"It is best this way. You have a long-range weapon that is better used in open spaces. We will be enclosed in the castle where you'll be at a disadvantage."

"I suppose," she grudgingly admitted. "But I still don't have to like it."

He nudged her forward before saying, "I didn't expect you would." 

It took a moment for the connotations of his statement to process through her mind.

"Mou! Sesshoumaru-san!"

**********

Sparse.

Functional.

The castle was devoid of anything even remotely pleasing to the eye. It was like someone had sucked all vitality and color out of the compound, leaving only a gray and lifeless skeleton. Sesshoumaru detested the place on sight. Contrary to Kagome's opinion, he enjoyed beauty and was fully capable of appreciating it. It was just that his sense of aesthetics differed from the norm; he didn't need something to be gilded in gold for him to value it. One look at Tenseiga made that clear. Its hilt bound in weather-beaten leather, and saya a muted crimson; there was nothing notable about the katana except for its razor sharp edge and power to bring back the dead. Then there was also Tetsusaiga.

They were beautiful; this castle was not.

Sesshoumaru found himself avoiding touch with anything within the castle. Dark energy practically crawled its walls. Little tendrils of it reached out to brush his sleeve. He glared at them. And discovered that they withdrew before contact… which meant that they were sentient at least on a basic level. He didn't want to, but he had to warn Kyosuke if for no other reason than to protect Kagome.

"Houshi."

"What is it, pretty-boy? Can't you tell that I'm busy?"

_Busy at what?_ Sesshoumaru scowled at the monk's back. "Stop flirting and do something useful." It hadn't escaped him that Kyosuke was closer to Kagome than absolutely necessary.

Kyosuke was arrested by his tone. Sesshoumaru actually sounded concerned. He looked back at the youkai lord and asked seriously, "What's the matter?"

"Don't touch anything you don't have to. There's a miasma all over the walls."

"So I noticed." Kyosuke showed him a stack of wards in his left hand. "I haven't been dropping these things all over the place for no reason, you know."

Kagome forestalled a potential argument. "It isn't like Naraku's miasma, is it," she said rhetorically. "This is almost alive."

"Yeah," Kyosuke agreed. "And it really likes *you*, Kagome-sama."

"What?"

"It's her power," Sesshoumaru said. "She's attracting it."

Kagome shuddered. "That's so disgusting!"

It hadn't occurred to her that whatever was causing the creepy tingling between her shoulder blades *liked* her. Now all she could think about was oily fingers touching her skin. Horror movies and anime with tentacle bearing monsters flashed through her mind. She had always had a secret fear of slimy wriggly things, but had never been faced with them in real life before other than little worms and the occasional slug. Lost in her worst nightmare come true, Kagome missed what was happening between her companions.

Sesshoumaru and Kyosuke shared a look – more of a glare, but still a look. Kagome didn't even notice their little battle for male dominance; she was very busy trembling and swiping at imagined fingers.

"Why don't you keep leading the way, Houshi?"

"Certainly, pretty-boy." Kyosuke was way too agreeable. "You'll watch our backs, won't you? I'll just lead Kagome-sama ahead."

"It would be better if she stays behind you. That way your little wards will be well in place before she has to pass through."

"Yes, I'm sure these wards will work better at dispelling the miasma than you can. Which is why she should stay with me."

"You can't even see it, can you? What use would the wards be if you could only sense a vague danger, and not know precisely where the danger is coming from?"

"I see what you mean. However, if she were with you, then we wouldn't know which is the danger, the castle or you, would we?"

Lines were drawn, and the argument would have degenerated from there, if it weren't for Kagome's scream and subsequent actions. While they had been busy bickering, Kagome's panic had grown by leaps and bounds. What caused her to shriek was the sensation of a hand sliding from the nape of her neck down her spine.

"Get it off of me, get it off!" she cried. "This place is *so* gross."

Kyosuke didn't know how it happened. One moment Kagome was hopping up and down and screaming, the next she was hugging onto the youkai lord with enough force that Sesshoumaru looked like he was about to topple over. And to make it all worse he, Kyosuke, had been nearer to her at the time.

Suddenly he couldn't wait to get going. "I'll lead. Watch for any stray miasma." He didn't wait to see how Sesshoumaru was calming Kagome down.

"For intruders, you are very noisy."

Kyosuke froze.

[End Chapter 6]

**Author's Notes:**

Sorry to everyone who wanted to know how the sleeping arrangements would be settled. This way you can imagine whatever resolution your hearts desire. ^_~

Hope that there was more action in this chapter than the last. I really don't like writing chapters with little progress in the storyline, but the last was necessary for Kyosuke. Although I'm not a great supporter of inserting original characters into fanfics to play major roles, I like to put them in when they support the original cast without affecting the existing relationships (or those created by me ^^) too greatly.

**Definitions:**

… I'm getting lazy about definitions. There weren't too many in this section (I'm trying to avoid them) and anything used in here should have already been explained in earlier chapters.

   [1]: mailto:h_shunu@hotmail.com?subject=Full%20Circle



	7. The Result of Shading and Tinting

Full Circle [7] The Result of Shading and Tinting

**DISCLAIMER:** All Inuyasha characters are the creation of, and © to Rumiko Takahashi, and subsequent parties. Full Circle is the creation of my demented mind, and © to [Shun'u Hanashiro][1] 2000-2001.

**Author's Notes:** _Italicized_ text (or //) can indicate private/unvoiced thoughts – or – flashback sequences. Colons [::] indicate insinuated thoughts by another character into one's subconscious. Be forewarned that all of the events prior to tankouban 14 of the manga are up for grabs in this story.

*hugs* Thank you, everyone! Your reviews are much appreciated. I'm sorry for those of you who are angling for a Sesshoumaru & Kagome pairing; it's still too soon in their acquaintance for that to happen. ^^; Please, don't kill me for this. I'll try to make it up to you by making this fic as interesting as possible. As for Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, yes, I *do* plan on a resolution – of sorts – for them. Insert evil laughter It will be a slow and painful process.

**July 2001**

**F U L L ****• C I R C L E**

**An Inuyasha Fanfiction**

By [Shun'u Hanashiro][1]

**Part 7: The Result of Shading and Tinting**

** **

Stories of the Gray Witch were widespread and fantastic throughout the Gray Dimension. They were tales of entrapment, of torture and death. Creatures that survived the experience of meeting the Gray Witch face to face were few and far between, and of those creatures none spoke of their experiences. Because of this, only a handful of desperate souls would ever seek her out. Which was precisely the way that she wanted to keep it. She had never wanted to be Naraku's creation, had never wanted to be his tool of destruction. Like an angry, rebellious adolescent, she often raged at the gods for allowing her empty existence, and demanded to know what right Naraku had for creating her. Yet she was. Had it been in her power, the Gray Witch would have rebelled against her creator long ago. But it was not. Until now, that is. Arrival of the three intruders opened up a whole world of possibilities for the Gray Witch.

**********

Sesshoumaru assessed the old woman before them. She was clothed in faded robes worn out to the point where they more suited to a rag bin, than on a person. Coarse gray hair pulled back into a topsy-turvy bun, skin wrinkled from a lifetime's exposure to nature's harsh elements, she looked very human and very tired. Naraku's aura wasn't very strong on her, but it was there. Faint – still contaminating the air around her stoop shouldered form.

_She's very old._

_By your standards, yes, she is. _He had stopped analyzing the connection he shared with Kagome days ago as a futile effort. The only thing he knew about their bond was that it was strengthened by proximity. And there were few ways that the two could be closer than when Kagome was held in the circle of his arms – a result of a moment ago when she had thrown herself there in her blind terror. Kagome didn't seem to be scared any longer, but Sesshoumaru credited that to the Gray Witch's timely appearance. _She smells like him, yet does not appear to have any obvious malevolent intentions._

_I think that we should give her a chance. She seems all right._

_You're too trusting._

Kagome ignored that. She said, "Pardon me, but are you the Gray Witch?"

The elderly woman started out of her blatant appraisal of them. She had not expected such courtesy. "Yes." Said a voice rusty from disuse.

Kagome disengaged from Sesshoumaru and bowed politely, menacing shadows and invasive fingers forgotten for the moment. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Kagome, and these are-"

"Lord Sesshoumaru and the son of the Cursed One," the old woman finished for her.

Kyosuke stiffened at the mention of his father. He stepped forward, half shielding Kagome out of habit. "What do you know about my father, 'Baasan?"

She turned her sharp gaze away from Kagome and upon the young man who had addressed her so rudely. "Your name, young man?"

The houshi fidgeted. He had not meant to be so abrupt. It had simply come as a surprise that the Gray Witch had known about his father and the curse placed upon their family. He had so many questions. To offend her now and risk the chance of alienating her seemed wrong. "My name is Kyosuke, Obaasan," he said more politely than before. "Please accept my apologies for our intrusion into your home. There was no one outside, you see, and we were told that you are the only person who could help us."

Kagome breathed again. For a moment there, she was sure that they were going to lose any possibility of gaining the Gray Witch as their ally. She should have remembered how quick-witted and silver-tongued Miroku could be when he was hell bent on charming someone; charisma must have been a family trait, something passed down to each generation along with the Air Rip.

"I see," the old woman murmured.

The measured tone of her thoughtful words must have triggered an alarm in Sesshoumaru because Kagome could *feel* the change in his posture without looking. _This is too weird. Why do I understand him so well all of a sudden? It's like we're linked in some way. How? I don't know whether to confront him or just hope that this connection fades._ An unknowing sigh escaped her lips. _I wonder how long I can go on ignoring the problem._ Kagome had no time to ponder more on the matter for the Gray Witch was already moving.

"Come this way. It seems that we have much to discuss."

**********

They were guided to an inner chamber of the castle that opened into an enclosed garden overgrown with wild flora. From all appearances it had once been carefully tended. Now it was sadly neglected. Weeds sprouted from uneven ground along uprooted rocks that had once lined a path meant to guide people through the garden. There was nothing left of that path but for occasional rocks and patches of dirt. Kagome stared out at this scene as she half listened to what was going on about her.

"You are Naraku's spawn?" Sesshoumaru stated more than asked. Kagome was tempted to rebuke him for being rude, but the old woman didn't seem as bothered by his attitude as she had been by Kyosuke's, so she let it go unvoiced. That didn't stop her from glaring at him from across the room. Sesshoumaru pretended not to notice. He lounged comfortably by the doorway. This was partly because he did not want to be very near Kagome – who had been telecasting thoughts without pause since she'd been spooked in the corridor – and partly due to the fact that he could react better to an ambush if he were standing.

The Gray Witch answered his question. "Yes, you could say that. He created me over fifty years ago. I was his first "child", as he likes to put it." Then she asked, "Lord Sesshoumaru, may I ask, what are you doing in this world? I would think that you would not have fallen so easily to Naraku's deceit."

"What do you mean by that, Obaasan?" Kyosuke asked. Why was the Gray Witch deferring to Sesshoumaru?

"Kyosuke-sama," she said in earnest, "it is well known throughout the lands that Sesshoumaru is a force to be reckoned with. Even Naraku would never openly attack him."

"I didn't know that you were so infamous," Kagome said to him.

He merely raised an eyebrow. _I didn't either._ Then he answered the witch. "There were… unusual circumstances."

The old woman nodded as if what he said made perfect sense to her. Kagome thought that he was oversimplifying things, but refrained from comment, verbal or otherwise. She was beginning to feel those shadows creeping in on her again.

Kyosuke asked, "Obaasan, if you're Naraku's child, then… why?" He gestured with his hand to encompass his companions. "Why aren't we fighting?"

The witch considered his question. He had reason to be concerned, but she needed their help as much as they needed hers, and to gain that she had to first gain their trust. The question was, how to go about it. Would telling the truth be enough to convince them?

She said, "As much as you need me to get out of this dimension that Naraku created, I need you to help me escape his chains of slavery."

If she had tried to offer empty platitudes or insincere words of trying to help them because it would have been the "right" thing to do, none of them would have believed her. But in stating it so baldly and giving them a reason that was plausible given Naraku's pattern of behavior, she gave her motives credence. And credibility was what she desperately needed at the moment, for she was outnumbered against people of unknown abilities who were able to make Naraku feel fear. This fact simultaneously gave her pause for worry and hope for freedom. Her greatest desire was release from this world where the only creatures and places to exist were those swallowed by the Air Rip, an aberrant plane that was not meant to exist, but somehow did due to Naraku's meddling with the laws of nature.

**********

Inuyasha felt dizzy from his journey through the void. Kikyou might have given him warning of its possible damaging effects on him, but she had failed to mention anything about the vertigo aftereffect. Said condition made him sway on his feet after landing ignominiously on a bush of questionable origins. All in all, Inuyasha was not a happy camper. He hoped that Kagome and Sesshoumaru would be easy to find; it hadn't taken him very long to figure out that he would hate this place.

Inuyasha grumbled, "Great. Of course I land in the middle of nowhere on top of a prickly bush. It would have been too easy to just land on Sesshoumaru." With the pleasant thought of knocking his brother out, even if inadvertently, in his mind, Inuyasha began his search with renewed determination.

The first encounter he had with something living – other than the bush – was actually dead. Inuyasha cringed at the stench that assaulted his sensitive nose. Rotting flesh smelled bad on the best of days, but when the day was sunny and warm, it was especially potent. Inuyasha had this incredible urge to gag that he held back by sheer will alone. Something about the half corpse was bothering him, something familiar about it. The only way for him to figure out what that something was, unfortunately, was to get a closer look at the thing. Pinching his nose, Inuyasha stepped up to the half corpse.

It was once an Oni. That was clear by the horned head and brutish face that stared at him from its place with sun-dried, brown cheek pressed against dusty ground. Something had caused its death by ripping the Oni's upper body from its lower body. Whatever the Oni had faced in its last moments, it had to have been powerful to cut the Oni off in such a manner. The demon had been immense. Now, there wasn't even the bottom half lying around to be pieced back to the severed top part.

Inuyasha wondered why the Oni looked so familiar, then brushed off the feeling as combination of coincidence and his overactive imagination. Once you saw one Oni, you saw them all. Right?

**********

Naraku was quite easy to find when he was complacent. Kikyou found him amusing when she did not think about how he had masterminded the misunderstanding between her and Inuyasha fifty years ago that had lead to their subsequent "deaths". Luckily for them, death was but a temporary nuisance. At least in their cases, it was. She had to admit that the hapless souls she consumed in order to stay alive weren't liable to ever return to the living world again.

Deep in thought, Kikyou traced the path to Naraku. Where he awaited her arrival. They had become adept at sensing each other's presence.

"We meet again, Kikyou." Naraku's greeting was almost cordial. "To what do I owe this singular honor?"

Kikyou regarded him. The first impression that anyone would make of the handsome young man was that he was harmless and effeminate. Naraku's image of cascading raven hair and slanting violet eyes made him pretty. Weak. False impressions if one knew the perverse creature behind that human visage. He liked to play games, Naraku did. But like a child, he played too roughly with his toys, and more often than not his games ended up with people hurt or broken beyond repair. Kikyou had not relished her experience as one of his pet projects.

Resentment flared within her, overriding the constant hatred of Inuyasha. It took conscious effort for her to tamp it down and smother it beneath a cold smile. She said, "You look well enough for someone who has failed miserably in dealing with his enemy. Or should I say enemies, Naraku?"

Naraku lifted a delicately tapered hand to brush stray locks over his shoulder. "Enemies?"

"Still playing your games after all this time. You'll never change, will you?"

"What is there to change? I am who I am. You helped create me, Kikyou. Surely you of all people understand the reasons for my actions. After all, we are the same, you and I." A cruel parody of a smile twisted his lips. "We are both products of our hatred."

She took offense to his comparison of them. "Don't compliment yourself. There is nothing similar about us."

"How sweet. Such naïveté is difficult to find in these times." Naraku encroached her personal space with that maniacal grin still in place. Kikyou tracked him with her eyes, neither flinching nor giving ground. What did she have to fear? Death had already been conquered. "But let us discuss another matter that lies between us, hm, Kikyou?" He stopped a hair's breadth away. Leaned close to whisper into her ear. "Why did you interfere?"

A turn of the neck, black hair brushing against a white shirt, and cheek-to-cheek Kikyou whispered back to him, "He is *mine*. Don't ever get in my way again."

Naraku expelled a soft laugh. "Possessive aren't we?" Neither shifted from their positions against one another; every subtle gesture they made was a move in their silent battle. "Do we really need to fight over who gets him? I'd be willing to share if you will."

Here was something she understood: an exchange of gifts. In the end each would get what they desired, but Kikyou wasn't foolish enough to believe that theirs would be a fair trade. "That would depend on what you want out of this. And who is to say that I will agree? You haven't been known for your trustworthiness."

He made clucking sounds of disproval. Long fingers smoothed back her straight hair, cupped her face to frame it within his smooth hands. Kikyou gave him a cool stare. He stared back. "Shame on you, to think so poorly of me. Let me assure you that everything will come out to our mutual benefit. In the end you will get Inuyasha. And I will get the entire Shikon no Tama without threat of your retribution. Nothing more; nothing less."

Kikyou weighed the factors.

"What do you say, Kikyou? With our combined efforts, nothing can stand in our way. I'll even get rid of that reincarnation that causes you so much trouble. There will be nothing left to stand between you and your love." Naraku had always been a master at manipulation. And he knew his enemies. That was what made him so very good at his games.

"I do not love him." Kikyou was curiously upset. She spoke forcefully. "Hate was the last emotion I remember and the only thing that drives me. I hate Inuyasha."

This time Naraku's smile was condescending. Tinted with bitter, self-aimed derision. Honest. "Of course, dear. As much as I do you." A fact lost on Kikyou as she was absorbed in recouping her composure.

**********

Night had fallen. Gray opacity cloaked the evening like a coarse woolen blanket. Not light, neither was it truly dark; the shadows were driving Kagome up the wall. Literally. Long since she had been shown to her modestly furnished room to retire, Kagome had been staring into space in a futile endeavor to meditate and block out the presence of the miasma that coated the castle walls. She wasn't a person who was normally given to meditation. Which explained why it was so bloody difficult to do in a moment's desperation.

After an hour of wasted effort, an exhausted Kagome was resigned to her fate. There was no question that she couldn't go to Kyosuke for help. The houshi was sweet and kind but, like his son, his hands had a penchant to roam even with his best intentions. As for Obaasan, she seemed nice enough, but she was a stranger; and there was no getting around the fact that she was still Naraku's child. Which left Kagome at a crossroads. The only other person left was foul tempered and had violent tendencies. These weren't too bad to deal since she had become inured to such attributes in her time spent with Inuyasha. It was the fact that she and Sesshoumaru had been having very odd reactions to each other lately, with propinquity being the catalyst.

And here she was seeking him out. Kagome would have screamed in frustration if she weren't so desperate to get away from the negative aura of the castle.

**********

_Took her long enough. Stubborn girl._

A slide of shoji sounded Kagome's arrival. Sesshoumaru glared in her general direction. She had kept him up with her mental static for an hour because she was too mule-headed to ask for help. – In truth, he probably would have been worse had he been in her situation, but since he wasn't, he felt little remorse in making things difficult for her. After all, she *had* kept him up for a good portion of the night.

"Sesshoumaru-san," Kagome whispered. She stood indecisively on the threshold, not quite able to draw up enough courage to enter the room. It was darker in here than everywhere else. And cool… so cool that Kagome shivered in her multi-layered kimono. _Maybe I should leave._ Tears sprung to life in her eyes. She was exhausted and there was no hope of sleep in her own room where malevolent shadows loomed in the corners just waiting for her to fall asleep before attacking.

"Close the door. You're letting in a draft."

Kagome started. He had been silent for so long that she had lost hope of him being there, or at least of him being awake. "Sesshoumaru-san?" She slid the door shut.

"Were you expecting someone else?"

"No." Kagome braced herself. "Ano… Sesshoumaru-san, would it be all right if I stay with you tonight?" He was probably going to toss her out of his room any minute now. She rushed to explain her request. "I c-can't sleep. I keep feeling like someone's watching me."

"…" He really hated to be nice. Truly, deeply detested being nice. It went against every natural inclination of his being. Hell, he even went out of his way to be mean to everyone he met. Jaken was verbally if not physically abused on a regular basis; Inuyasha was easily aggravated with a few well-chosen barbs; even Rin received the barest hint of his attention and toleration. But there had been that little quiver in her voice that tugged at his heartstrings much the same as Rin was able to do whenever she was upset. Sesshoumaru was in a quandary. He didn't like to see her upset. How had he come to such a pass?__

Kagome's shoulders slumped when no answer was forthcoming. "Oh, never mind. I'm sorry to have bothered you." She would return to her scary room. She would ignore the oily presence. She would try to get some rest. Oh yes, all of that would happen – just as soon as she could uproot her feet and leave the youkai lord's comforting company.

Who would it hurt to let her stay? Really, there was mean and then there was thoughtlessly cruel. He had never been a thoughtless person. "Come here."

She didn't need to be told twice. Kagome followed his voice into the chilly darkness. Not able to see anything with her human eyes, she tripped on the futon and took a headlong tumble with arms wind milling wildly to keep her balance. None of that helped in the least as she landed in a tangle of limbs. The gods had an odd sense of humor. Kagome snapped her eyes shut and fervently wished that this were all some crazy dream. The nature of her dream would have to be decided on later because she was very busy trying not to notice the fact that she now had her arms wrapped about Sesshoumaru's chest and sat straddling his lap. He had been sitting up when she had fallen.

"Are you always this clumsy?"

Mortified, she mumbled into his shoulder, "Not usually."

"…Kagome?"

"Yes?"

"You're kneeling on my tail."

Kagome scrambled. "Oh, I am so sorry, Sesshoumaru-san!" Would this horrible day never end? She knelt next to him and reached out to touch his arm. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." He couldn't account for why her concern touched him. Lacking a suitable reason that would not confuse him further, Sesshoumaru was short when he spoke. "Now go to sleep. Dawn will be here soon." Tossing half of the covers across to Kagome, he turned on his side and faced away from her. He didn't normally sleep on his side, but that was as far as he could get to ignore Kagome's presence in his bed. Kagome took his cue and scooted as far from him as she could without falling off of the futon.

Guilt let itself be known by gnawing on her insides and not allowing her to sleep. Kagome sighed and turned onto her back to stare up at the ceiling. Now that she had adjusted to the darkness, she could make out faint shapes of bare furniture about the room and the outline of shoji. _Great. Now that I'm comfortable, I can't sleep. It's nice not having to worry about those creepy shadows anymore._ Kagome pulled the soft coverlet down to her chest and freed her arms to drum restless fingers on her stomach. _Is he asleep yet?_ She had this insane urge to talk. _He's gonna kill me if I wake him up again… Kagome, just close your eyes and count…_

At 178, Kagome couldn't take it anymore. "Ne, Sesshoumaru-san?"

He thought she would never stop counting. "What is it?" he asked over his shoulder.

"Why do you think we're able to talk mentally now?"

That question had been bothering him for a while now. "It's because of what happened in the Air Rip."

"What do you mean?" she turned on her side to face his back. An arm came up to prop her chin in one hand.

"You aren't very aware of your powers, are you?" he asked.

She admitted, "I was never trained."

"If I hadn't shielded you then, there was no telling how you could have reacted to the transition into this world. Gambling on our lives wasn't an option, so I had to shield both of us in the interim. I hadn't anticipated that resurrecting you with Tenseiga, followed so closely by my mental shield, would result in this strong of a bond."

"Bond?" A chill shot through her spine at his odd choice of words. "What kind of bond?"

"Go to sleep, Kagome."

She wasn't to be deterred. "Wait, Sesshoumaru-san, I have one more question."

He sighed. "Only one?"

_This guy…_ She said, "Yes, only one. Can you hear all of my thoughts?"

"…Yes." He really couldn't read all of them – only superficial ones, and then only when she was agitated – but she didn't need to know that.

"What?!"

Sesshoumaru gave up on sleep. He rolled over to find her eye-to-eye with him. He glared. "Woman, you are trying my patience. Now, go to sleep."

A yawn snuck up on her. Eyes drooping shut, Kagome fell into a deep slumber before her mind could catch onto the fact that her slumber was induced.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. So much trouble just to get her to rest; and now he was wide-awake. The illogicality of it all struck him as typical of their relationship thus far. Sesshoumaru's lips lifted into a small smile. She looked so peaceful laying there in repose with one hand tucked beneath her face and the other curled into the sheets. He wanted to trace the slender fingers that were so near his face, had actually reached out to do so, when he caught himself.

Staring at his left arm, Sesshoumaru was reminded of the day when he had lost it in the first battle for Tetsusaiga. Carelessness had been his enemy on that day.

What had his father always taught him?

_"Never underestimate your opponent, Sesshoumaru. Be they great or small, you must respect them. An enemy might not be powerful at first glance, but that does not mean anything in the long run. Because it is who is standing in the end that matters. If you take for granted that you're faster or stronger than them, that will be your downfall. Even the slowest and weakest of enemies can be your death if they have the will to live."_

_They were lazing underneath a tree by a small creek near their home. Just yesterday his mother had finished her painting of the fisherman and Sesshoumaru had been curious enough about the activity that he had persuaded his father into taking him fishing. Now they were each armed with a long thin branch of pliable wood. Silk threads were attached to the branch ends and off of these were small hooks that dangled their bait for the fish to latch onto. Their current conversation had begun when Sesshoumaru had voiced his boredom of training with Jaken. He wanted a *real* opponent, as he told his father._

_"But Chichiue-"_

_"Sesshoumaru, listen to me." His lodged the pole between two large rocks and placed his hands on his young son's small shoulders. "I know that you feel like you're not being challenged, but you have to learn what Jaken has to teach you."_

_"But he's so *slow*, Chichiue!"_

_His father frowned at him. "Sesshoumaru. You will not disrespect Jaken. He may appear to be silly at times, but he is wise and, more importantly, he cares for you. As you grow up, you will find it very hard to find loyalty in these bloodthirsty times. To have that and throw it away would be a grave mistake. Don't ever forget that, son."_

_Sesshoumaru watched the glittering water. He still thought that training with Jaken was boring, but he knew his father was right. Jaken did take care of him. He was always the one to take the brunt of blame whenever Sesshoumaru pulled a prank. He was always there when Sesshoumaru needed help. Jaken was always the one to find Sesshoumaru when he was sad about his father being away so much._

_"Can I still train with you sometimes, Chichiue?"_

_How could he resist his son when he turned those amber eyes on him – beautiful eyes that he had inherited from his exotic mother. The Western Lord did not look forward to the day when other Lords would come knocking on his door, wishing to betroth their daughters to his son._

_"Yes, Sesshoumaru. You may train with me on occasion." He said, "Now watch this."_

_Sesshoumaru looked at what his father was pointing to. Amber eyes widened. There was something biting at his line._

"Never underestimate your opponent, huh." Sesshoumaru curled his fingers through Kagome's loose hair. "It seems that I did not learn my lesson very well." He shifted to lie next to Kagome. "Inuyasha… you are near. Will you understand? Nothing is black and white anymore."

[End Chapter 7]

**Author's Notes:**

If it's confusing about Sesshoumaru and Kagome's emerging telepathy, that's because you have to remember that this chapter takes place *a week* after the events of the last one. There have been a lot of things happening that we didn't get to see/read first hand. Hence there are a lot of allusions to what has developed in our absence. I have to admit that this chapter was difficult to write. I'm still not quite satisfied with it and might end up revising the whole thing.

(For some reason my mind kept wandering to my new Angel Sanctuary fic… ^^; But never fear, I won't abandon this one.)

The last bit of this chapter's dedicated to every Sesshoumaru x Kagome fan out there. ^_^; Sheesh, I might have to write another fic just to appease you guys.

**Definitions:**

**'Baasan/Obaasan:** Both of these words mean grandmother, in both the literal sense and also as a polite way of addressing someone of an older generation who is beyond the age of being called an aunt (Obasan). The lack of an honorary "O" in the first form makes more familiar and less polite. "Obaasan" is the more correct way of addressing an elderly woman beyond middle age.

**Houshi:** Buddhist monk.

**Shoji:** Those sliding doors in traditional Japanese homes that are constructed of wood squares and lined with thick paper.

**Ano:** an expression similar to "um…" in English.

**Chichiue:** old and formal way of saying "Father".

**Hahaue:** old and formal way of saying "Mother".

   [1]: mailto:h_shunu@hotmail.com?subject=Full%20Circle



	8. The Threads That Bind Us

Full Circle [8] The Threads That Bind Us

**DISCLAIMER:** All Inuyasha characters are the creation of, and © to Rumiko Takahashi, and subsequent parties. Full Circle is the creation of my demented mind, and © to [Shun'u Hanashiro][1] 2000-2001.

**Author's Notes:** _Italicized_ text can indicate private/unvoiced thoughts – or – flashback sequences. There are long segments in this chapter that are flashbacks of Kagome's life. Please bear with me. ^^; They're necessary to the story even if you – the reader – might already know about what has happened. Be forewarned that all of the events prior to tankouban 14 of the manga are up for grabs in this story.

_ _

_Sesshoumaru_: Isn't this a little late to be warning them about spoilers?

_Shun'u_: Who asked you, pretty-boy?

_Sesshoumaru_: …

_Kagome_: Sesshoumaru-san, how come you're letting her talk to you like that?

_Sesshoumaru_: Believe me. You don't want to get the author upset. She might end up putting you into compromising positions.

_Shun'u_: … insert evil grin Well, now, all you had to do was ask, Maru-chan. Did you want a special scene with Kagome-chan?

_Sesshoumaru & Kagome_: NO!

_Shun'u_: Oho! Methinks the lord and lady doth protest too much.

_Sesshoumaru_: Great going, idiot. Now look at what you've done.

_Kagome_: Me? It was you who had strange ideas about compromising positions. Just what were you thinking about anyhow?

_Shun'u_: all ears

_Sesshoumaru_: vein throbbing Don't you have anything better to do?

**August 2001**

**F U L L ****• C I R C L E**

**An Inuyasha Fanfiction**

By [Shun'u Hanashiro][1]

** **

**Part 8: The Threads That Bind Us**

Few people in the world were capable of unsettling Sesshoumaru. Less than a month ago he and all who knew him would have contested that there were none with the ability to do so. Then again, a month ago was before extenuating circumstances had led him to make the acquaintance of one Higurashi Kagome. Had things been different, had Rin not taken ill, or had he been able to handle a small human child's sickness on his own, he and Kagome would never have gotten beyond the point of mutual enmity. Truth be told, there were days when he still wished that life were only so simple. But the days would not have been interesting had they been simple. Instead, Sesshoumaru found that every sunrise brought with it twists and turns that threatened to leave him dizzy in its wake. Any weaker person might have given in to convention and lived the sedate existence more in keeping with his station. He had never been weak.

And he absolutely hated being bored. Which accounted for why he learned to appreciate Kagome's utterly confounding logic. As irrational as the woman-child was, she kept him on his toes with her leaps of insight – which was unfortunately reflected in the maze that was her mind. He swore once again as he made a turn only to come nose to wall with yet another dead end.

"…I am going to kill that girl…"

"Um, I think I'll come back later."

In the blink of an eye, before she could even take that initial step towards escape, a pale, masculine hand snaked out to catch Kagome by the back of her collar and drag her towards the man who had just calmly stated that he was going to kill her. Needless to say, Kagome was not a happy camper. Past experience taught her that struggling would be ineffectual, but that didn't stop the alarms from clamored in her ears. Kagome applied another surefire defense tactic.

"Sesshoumaru-san!" she complained. "You're choking me."

"I'd like to do more than choke you," he said. "What the hell is this place?"

"It's my mind, dummy." Kagome wanted to hit herself for saying that last so impertinently. Common sense had evidently taken leave at some point between waking and dreaming.

He glared at her and the hold on her collar tightened. Kagome grabbed his fingers with hers and tried to pry them off before her own clothing choked her. When his claws extended in retaliation, Sesshoumaru could practically taste the heightening of Kagome's anxiety. Point made, he released her. Kagome stumbled a bit before regaining her balance and turning about to face him as she rubbed her neck.

"I know that I'm in your mind, Kagome. My question is why do I run into a wall every time I turn around?" He watched as Kagome tipped her head to the side and thought about his question, and had to question his good sense as he wondered at what point he had come to consider that expression of profound concentration as cute. He wasn't supposed to think in terms of cuteness.

Kagome shrugged after a while of deliberation without results and said, "I don't know."

_Is she serious?_ He wanted to clarify what he had just heard. "You don't… know?" Kagome smiled and nodded. Which only served to aggravate Sesshoumaru's already frayed temper and made him speak more harshly than he was wont. "What do you mean, you 'don't know', you idiot? This is *your* mind. If you don't understand what's happening in it, how am I supposed to make sense of it?"

Indignation rippled through her. Kagome went on the offensive with questions of her own. "You're the one who has experience traipsing through people's heads. How come you don't know what we're doing here?"

The problem was that he did know why they were intruding in each other's space. Sesshoumaru glared down his nose at her and had every intention of giving her a piece of his mind – hopefully one that she hadn't already invaded – or he would have, if he hadn't noticed in that moment that her appearance had changed. As had his. Instead of the fine kimonos, they were now in foreign clothing of thicker, woven material that clung to their bodies. Sesshoumaru's gaze narrowed on Kagome's flowing white dress with tiny yellow chrysanthemums embroidered along the edges. It was reminiscent of things he had seen her wear before, but much more refined.

"What happened to your clothes?"

"What?"

Kagome looked down to see what he was so irritated about now. As with the time when she had been in Sesshoumaru's mind, her clothes had changed without her volition. Come to think of it… Kagome raised her eyes to take in Sesshoumaru's appearance. _Oh…_ Aiming for subtlety, she took inventory of his attire: ankle boots, charcoal slacks, leather belt, a dove-gray dress-shirt with an open collar, and a loosened silk tie. By some miracle his fluffy, moon-white tail was still able to peep through the modern clothes and drape over his shoulder. _Oh my…_

"Well?" Cold anger licked at the edges of his consciousness; there were too many variables that he had no control over.

Kagome couldn't seem to grasp his question. She took a step back and swayed a little on her feet. "What did you just say?"

The faint whisper barely made its way to him while she stared with unfocused eyes in the vicinity of his neck. Sesshoumaru frowned. This wasn't like Kagome in the slightest. He stepped towards her and placed the tips of his fingers along the underside of her jaw. Tipping her chin up, he saw a fine flush creep up her neck to tint otherwise pale skin.

"I said," he spoke slow and precisely, "what happened to your clothes?"

"Clothes?" She blinked but offered no other signs of having processed his words.

Now she was really starting to worry him. Sesshoumaru had never seen Kagome truly at a loss for words. The girl had a way about her. Something strange and courageous that allowed her to face adversity and overcome it even in the direst of situations. He above all was familiar with this singular trait, for he had often been the one to pose threat to her life. For her to behave in this manner… His other hand came up to cup her cheek.

He asked, "Kagome, are you all right?"

Warm… heat radiated from him. Distantly she could hear herself say that she was fine, and no she wasn't ill or hurt anywhere. But all of that was removed from her. She could only focus on that sense of safety that Sesshoumaru had come to symbolize in her life. Kagome leaned into his warmth and allowed her eyelids to flutter shut. It would be so incredibly easy to yield to that strength and let someone else take care of her for a change. Her arms came up to wrap about his torso. With her ear pressed against his chest, Kagome listened to the steady drumming of his heart.

_When did I come to depend on you?_

That brought her down to earth with bone jarring impact. She could hear the thump that her metaphorical fall made. _Kami-sama._ Kagome slipped away and wrapped her arms about her waist in a useless gesture.

Sesshoumaru watched her from beneath lowered lids, slowly coming out of the frozen state that her actions had put him in. A smile that was growing more comfortable everyday tugged at the corners of his lips. He answered her unvoiced question as if it were the most natural thing in the world to be able to hear her deepest thoughts.

"It was probably when we ran across that Houshi."

**********

"How long will you be giving me this silent treatment?"

Silence was intermittently disrupted with the occasional stomp of angry feet. Sesshoumaru ambled along after the fuming girl and took in his surroundings. He hadn't really expected an answer. Given enough reason to, Kagome was rather good at holding a grudge. He squinted against a particularly bright spray of light. Since her temper had been riled, their environment had begun to rumble and spark. It was a beautiful phenomenon to behold. White walls gave off flashes of brilliant color in random intervals.

They passed another alcove in the wall that looked like a potential turn, but yet again was nothing more than a small niche of space. Sesshoumaru withheld a sigh. Endless white. He began to appreciate the dark colors of his unusual clothing. And that brought to mind another problem that he had to thank Naraku for. He imagined ripping the hanyou apart with his claws, his poison dripping onto that deceitful face until nothing was left but oozing pools of disintegrating flesh.

In a lighter mood, Sesshoumaru extended his awareness to the girl ahead of him. He had never walked behind another person before. It was a novel experience, but one that he was unlikely to ever repeat awake. There was just something about being with her and away from prying eyes that relaxed his guard. If only he could pinpoint exactly why that was so.

"Sesshoumaru-san." Kagome waved him over to another turnoff of the hallway. "Come look at this."

What they found was a room. Not just any room, Sesshoumaru recognized, but the one in which he had first found her when they had been pulled into the Air Rip. Plants crawled across the walls and flowers blossomed beneath soft constant light. Critters watched them with unblinking eyes. And he realized that in this place wildlife was tamed. He felt an odd, unwelcome affinity to the scurrying creatures. Fingers dug into his sleeve, stealing his attention.

"What is it?"

"Is this really inside me?" Kagome asked.

How was it possible? Kagome couldn't recall ever seeing a place like this fairy tale setting. Shouldn't everything in her mind have a base in the familiar? Hadn't she read somewhere that dreams and subconscious thoughts were a reflection of one's life? She might not have led a very orthodox one in the last few months, but she had certainly not seen anything this magical before.

"Do you remember the first time I found you?"

Kagome didn't know what he was talking about. "You mean the first time we met?"

"No." He walked about the circular chamber, touching a green leaf here and there, breathing in the aroma of flowers in full bloom. "When we were pulled into the Air Rip," he said, "I found you here, in this room."

"I don't remember," she said.

"No… I suppose not. You weren't expecting me. It's probably a buried memory." He stopped in the middle of the chamber. "You were standing right here, beneath the light."

She followed his winding path, touched what he touched. "What was I doing?"

"Waiting."

She traced the ivory petal of a camellia. "Waiting?" She echoed. "What was I waiting for?"

"I don't know." And it didn't matter that he was admitting to ignorance.

**********

"Why do I always feel so funny whenever we're like this?" she asked.

"'Like this'?" He prodded a doorway they found hidden beneath the ivy, fingering its edges to find a latch or crevice that he could use to open it.

Kagome hoped that he wasn't opening a Pandora's box. She made an expansive gesture with her hands to include their surroundings. "In my mind, in your mind, whichever we're in."

"Funny in what way?" he asked cautiously. There was a small blue ring embedded into the door. A slight pull and the door unlocked.

"Like I'm having an out-of-body experience," she said. "I can't focus; everything is blurry. My thoughts are fuzzy." He prepared to make a snappy rejoinder. Kagome glared at him. "Don't say it."

He smirked. "What makes you think that I know any more than you do?" The door opened, and Sesshoumaru stepped through.

**********

_"…I want to go by myself…"_

_Why? Kagome wanted to know. Why did Inuyasha insist on going off by himself instead of having them there for backup? She had improved in her archery. Miroku was always able to help them. Even little Shippou was an asset in a battle. So why was Inuyasha so insistent?_

_She sighed and pushed her bicycle along the path._

_Miroku said, "Do you think that it's all right for Inuyasha to have gone alone?"_

_Shippou's ears twitched and he sat up a little straighter in the bike's basket. Kagome didn't know what to say._

_"It's better this way. Inuyasha… still loves Kikyou, so he probably wants to be alone right now."_

_In another one of those moments when Shippou showed that he wasn't just a kid, but in reality a kitsune in his own right, he dexterously hopped onto Kagome's shoulder from his previous perch. Shippou was distraught and it showed. "Wasn't Inuyasha going to exterminate the youkai?"_

_Kagome paused mid-step, Shippou's words giving her food for thought._

_Miroku said, "I think I understand what he's going through." He looked to the side and said softly, "If Kikyou has changed completely from the woman that he loved so long ago, he probably doesn't want others to see her like that…"_

_"What are we? Strangers?" Shippou demanded. His auburn tail was flicking back and forth with the magnitude of his emotion. "And what if things are worse than he thinks and he needs our help?"_

_Kagome picked up her pace. Shippou was voicing some of her worries that she didn't want to dwell on. Even ahead of them as she was, she could still hear Miroku speaking._

_"If I was him, I'd want to get back together with her again."_

_A twig snapped beneath her foot. Kagome felt a coldness enter her heart. She turned about to look at Miroku. "Oh really?"_

_No response was forthcoming from Miroku, who was impaled by her tone and the blue aura that flared about her slight form. Shippou clung to him silently._

_Once she was out of sight, Miroku said, "Somehow I feel as though I've been shot through with an icy arrow."_

_Shippou shivered. "I don't think that it was your imagination."_

**********

How did one feel jealous of a memory?

**********

Sesshoumaru closed the door with a soft click. Kagome refused to look at him although his unwavering stare must have been burning a hole through her back. Well, fine. If she didn't want to face him, then he would seek the answers on his own. He felt his way along the curving wall, in search of another ring of that cerulean blue.

What he found was a door with a ring of pulsating yellow ochre. Curiosity tempted him to open it, but his determination was stronger than that, and he bypassed it for the next door hidden by glossy ivy leaves. This one contained exactly what he was looking for.

**********

_Mist… there was so much mist covering the ground. Kagome clutched her bow and arrows closer to herself as she tried in vain to quell her nerves. The forest was eerily quiet, unnaturally so, and she didn't like it one bit._

_"Where has everyone gone?" Something snapped at her feet. " What?"_

_Kagome looked down at the vine-like things that she was walking over. For a moment she could have sworn that they had moved. She was going to reach down to get a closer look, when an out of place presence made her duck behind a tree. She peered around to see what had given her such a sinister feeling._

_"Kikyou… and Naraku?"_

_The thumping of her heartbeat was loud in her own ears. Kagome hoped that no one else could hear it. She could see Kikyou lying in front of Naraku, with her eyes closed and seemingly unconscious. The distinctive baboon pelt adorned Naraku's shoulders, making him stand out in the forest._

_"He hasn't noticed me… maybe I can…"_

_Kagome drew an arrow against her bow, took a deep breath, and before doubts could overwhelm her, she jumped out from behind her hiding place to fire. The feather tipped arrow flew unerringly for Naraku, leaving a glowing path in its wake. Even so, Kagome was surprised when it hit him. She fought her automatic gag reflex when his head fell to the ground. Then elation hit her as she realized success._

_Naraku's evil laugh carried through the air. "I knew that you would be the only one to make it this far…"_

_Kagome didn't get much more warning. As the shock of his words wore off, Kagome felt an undulation in once solid ground. She tipped and tried to regain her balance, but everything was moving too fast. Feet slipped and she fell through the fissure with Naraku's taunting promise ringing in her ears._

_"If I can't break your spirit, then I will break your body."_

_Kagome screamed. Instinct and the strong will to live had her reaching out blindly with her hands to grab onto something, anything that would save her from falling to her death. People said that flashes of their lives passed before their eyes in life-or-death moments. Kagome did not have this experience. All she could think about was living. Vines tangled into her outstretched hands. She didn't need another cue. She grabbed them and held on for dear life._

_The burning in her palms was enough to make tears come to Kagome's eyes, but she tried desperately to not think about the pain. To distract herself she looked down, immediately regretting the action as she took in the view of Naraku's miasma bubbling beneath her. She held onto the vines tighter and prepared to shout for help._

_"Somebody!" she yelled. "Anybody… help!"_

_More tears gathered at the building frustration of having no one respond to her calls for rescue. Where was Inuyasha? Kagome gasped and sucked in much needed air. Her arms were trembling and felt like they would pop out of their sockets any moment. Her dangling feet found some support out of a jutting rock. If someone didn't come soon, she wouldn't be able to hold up. Kagome didn't want to linger on what would happen if she were to fall. Above her Naraku's voice continued to laugh and jeer at her desperation._

_"Nobody will come. Inuyasha and your other friends are caught up in illusions. They will go to their deaths soon. No one will be left alive to save you."_

_A pebble skittered over the sheer rock side and into the miasma. Kagome swallowed the lump that formed in her throat when she saw that the pebble dissolved. Her screams resumed with more strength._

_"INUYASHA!"_

_A footstep alerted Kagome to the presence of another person. Hope swelled in her chest, but when she looked up that hope was dampened by surprise._

_"Kikyou?!"_

_Indeed, it was the priestess herself in traditional robes of white and red. Within her grasp was the wooden puppet that Naraku must have used in his place. Kikyou smiled as she held it up for Kagome's inspection._

_"For Naraku to use this mannequin," she said. "He must not have wanted to get close to you."_

_Kikyou proceeded to break the puppet apart, letting its pieces fall down. A few tumbled over the edge to plummet past Kagome and into the miasma with a plop and sizzle. Kagome found her voice at last._

_"You were able to move?"_

_"I could have moved at any time, had I the wish. However, I wanted to determine Naraku's objective." Kikyou assessed the girl who was her reincarnation. "It appears that you are the most troublesome obstacle for us both, Kagome."_

_Fear stabbed Kagome's heart. She could read the intent in Kikyou's cold gray eyes. "Kikyou…"_

_Imagined fear became reality when Kikyou called forth her insect-like minions. Kagome wanted to swat them away but her hands were occupied clinging to the vines. The insects took advantage of her helplessness to coil about her. Were they going to pull her down? Kagome tensed for the inevitable – but she was surprised when they lifted her up instead. Was Kikyou saving her?_

_No._

_Kagome's eyes grew large as Kikyou reached out to extricate the Shikon no Tama from where it was tucked inside her shirt. No… something within Kagome wanted to weep at the betrayal._

_"What are you doing?"_

_Kikyou looked straight at her. Lifeless gray clashed with vibrant slate blue. "The Shikon no Tama was purified and protected by me. It is not meant for you who are my reincarnation. There cannot be two of us in the world." Kikyou walked away from her with finality._

_A simple command from Kikyou and the insects that had been holding Kagome up suddenly rose only to release her. Kagome felt the rush of air as she plummeted through the crevice created by Naraku. She grabbed onto the ledge at the last possible moment, dangling precariously over the miasma. She was going to die. No…_

_"Kagome!"_

_Was she reliving a memory of Inuyasha? Kagome strained to hold onto the ledge. She was hallucinating. Right?_

_"Kagome!"_

_There must have been a deep and bottomless well of hope within her because Kagome turned to look despite her helpless situation. She almost cried when she saw Inuyasha on the other side of the pit._

_"Inuyasha!" she called out._

_Inuyasha landed next to her, easily able to gain balance where she had not been able to with her weaker human limbs. She let him take hold of her arm and her shoulders were grateful for the reprieve._

_"Are you okay?" He was worried by Kagome's continued look of shock. She was barely able to speak, and when she did it made little sense to him._

_"I… Kikyou was…"_

_Inuyasha brought Kagome out of the pit and looked to Kikyou for some answers. She was as unruffled as ever._

_"I took the Shikon no Tama back."_

_What? Déjà vu washed over Inuyasha. "Kikyou, you…"_

_"Kagome was targeted because she had possession of the jewel. In all probability Naraku planned to dissolve Kagome's body in the miasma so that he could get the Shikon no Tama."_

_In the time that Kikyou was speaking to Inuyasha, Kagome had recovered some of her balance. But that was quickly falling apart as she digested what Kikyou implied. Anger stirred. Kikyou had just been trying to kill her, and now she was turning things around to fit into the mold of what she wanted Inuyasha to believe. Kagome's arms trembled and she curved her nails into the earth._

_"Kikyou!" Inuyasha's yell drew Kagome's attention. "What are you doing?!"_

_Kagome flinched. She's taking the jewel, Kagome wanted to say. However, she remained silent and downcast as the priestess escaped in the swirling power of her youkai-minions._

_Inuyasha said, "Kagome, did something happen with Kikyou?"_

_The Shikon fragment's taken, and all he can think about is Kikyou. Kagome hurt. If she had lost the jewel on her own then he would be blaming her and chasing after it instead of standing there and asking questions._

_She said, "I'm sorry."_

_"I'm not asking about that!" Inuyasha yelled._

_I know… Kagome shut out his voice as he continued to speak. I can't tell you, can I, Inuyasha? Who would believe that she almost killed me? I'm in an impossible situation. I can't say anything. It would sound like I'm making things up out of spite._

**********

At the center of the circular chamber, Kagome sat atop a stone pedestal with her heels tucked into a groove within the stone and elbows propped on her knees. Her chin rested in the cup of her palms. It had been a short while since Sesshoumaru had disappeared into that second door, and she was anxiously awaiting his return. When he had stepped through, she had been able to catch a glimpse of which memory was contained beyond the doorway. That particular one was not something that she wanted to relive, so she had opted to stay outside and wait for him instead.

There was no telling what Sesshoumaru would think of the events on that spring day, when she had learned that Kikyou had every intention of killing her should the opportunity arise. What would he think? Would he think her weak for not fighting back? But… she had been caught in a lose-lose situation. To tell Inuyasha would have been to risk alienating him, and not telling meant that she could never go to him with problems concerning Kikyou. Kagome traced the tiny flowers embroidered into her dress with restless fingers.

What should she have done?

She sighed and slipped her sandals off to get more comfortable.

**********

When he returned, Kagome was precariously sitting on a stool with both arms wrapped about her legs and forehead pressed against her knees. He paused to take in the pretty picture she made with her dark waves contrasting against a pure white backdrop.

"You're back already." She glanced at him surreptitiously. "What did you see?"

"…" The base of the stone pedestal looked like a comfortable place to sit.

"Sesshoumaru…san?"

"My brother's an idiot," he said.

"What?" She peered over her feet to catch sight of moon-white hair. Though it was incongruous with his nature, he was literally sitting at her feet. "You've already established your opinion of Inuyasha, I think."

"Well, he's even more of an idiot than I had thought."

Now she was curious. "Why do you say that?"

Kagome's left foot slipped from its niche when she leaned over, landing on his shoulder. She gasped in dismay and jerked backwards. Only… her foot wasn't cooperating with the rest of her body. Kagome had a sickening feeling that it was stuck. A few experimental tugs proved her suspicions to be sound. Kagome covered her face. She didn't want to see. Truly.

"I was right, you know," he said from below. "You really are clumsy."

Why was it always with this man that she lost her composure? "It isn't very gallant of you to point that out, you know."

"Un…" Chivalry wasn't anywhere close to being on his list of priorities. He palmed her captured foot and measured it against his hand. It was tiny. The fragile bones that composed its structure were barely sufficient to support and balance her human body. And yet it did. Nature worked in wondrous ways, thus making the crime more atrocious when unnatural things marred its beauty.

He said quietly, "You're nothing like her."

Kagome didn't pretend to misunderstand. "I look almost exactly like Kikyou."

"No," he disagreed with surety. "There are many differences."

Sesshoumaru was silent for so long after his statement that Kagome almost demanded to know what he saw that Inuyasha didn't. Stubborn pride kept her from blurting out her question. Her ego had already been bruised quite a bit lately by encounters with Kikyou. Inuyasha's less than tactful behavior and his indecision regarding the resurrected priestess hadn't helped matters in the least. Quite frankly, Kagome didn't know if she could handle another person pointing out her inferiority to the priestess or, worse, saying that she was only a reincarnation.

Kagome needn't have worried. Hadn't it already been noted that Sesshoumaru did not react or think like other people?

"Your resemblance to that priestess is only superficial."

"Everyone keeps telling me that I'm her reincarnation," Kagome said. "The villagers, Kaede-baasan, Inuyasha, and even Naraku. Then there's the indisputable fact that the Shikon no Tama was burned with Kikyou's remains so long ago, and yet, by some means, it reappeared inside of me. What am I supposed to think? Was it only through coincidence and circumstance that I was the one to free Inuyasha from Kikyou's spell?"

Sesshoumaru leaned into her extended leg, resting his head against her. "Maybe not. That would be fate playing its course." He memorized the arch of her foot. "But I know that you aren't the same person as she was or is. Eyes, hair, height, and voice are all different." He inhaled. "Your scent, too."

"That-" She coughed. "That's nice to know." She bashfully ducked her head when he looked over his shoulder. Kagome stared at her toes. "She said that I'm nothing but her replacement."

"Did you believe her?" He ran fingers against the vulnerable skin of her calf, felt the reflexive convulsion of a muscle when he hit a sensitive spot. Kagome was wrapped up in her thoughts.

"Yes, no- I don't know," she whispered truthfully, "Maybe A little."

"Inuyasha still doesn't know about her attempt to kill you, does he?"

Kagome stiffened imperceptibly. "No, he doesn't. I would appreciate it if you don't mention the subject to him either."

"…"

"Sesshoumaru-san." There was warning in her tone, but since when had he ever done anything not to his liking?

"I don't make promises I have no intention on keeping." He cut off further protest. "The sun is rising. Do you think you're ready?"

Kagome released a frustrated sigh at his change of subject. She asked, "What am I supposed to be ready for?"

"Inuyasha." He stood and helped her down. "He is coming."

Really? Kagome smiled brilliantly. Then a terrible thought occurred to her.

"You…" Kagome bit her lip. "You won't pick a fight with him, will you, Sesshoumaru-san?"

He smiled.

Her shoulders slumped. Impending doom wasn't so bad was it? Maybe she'd get lucky and die first, before the end of the world came.

"Kagome."

She turned. "Yes?"

"It would probably be better if you didn't sleep with me while Inuyasha's around. Knowing him, he would probably attack first and ask questions later. I won't be held responsible for the consequences if he misunderstands."

A bead of perspiration rolled down her neck. "Who said that I'd be sleeping with you again, Sesshoumaru?"

She stomped away with the last word.

Sesshoumaru leaned down to pick up her discarded shoes. She would need them later. He had a nagging suspicion that they would once again retain their change of clothing once they woke from their dreams. He exhaled a pent up breath. There was another problem that they would be avoiding by not sleeping together: there would be less chance of invading each other's minds. At least with Inuyasha around, they would stay away from each other. There would be no more episodes of nocturnal confessions.

[End Chapter 8]

**Author's Notes:**

Ano… for those of you who were expecting a confrontation between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru in this chapter, I'm afraid that was pushed off once more. As you can see, I wanted to develop Sesshoumaru's character (and his relationship in regards to Kagome) more before I had him come face-to-face with Inuyasha. There was also the fact that Kagome knew a lot about Sesshoumaru, therefore understanding him better, and yet he hadn't had the chance to learn more about her. So I thought that it was only fair to return the favor. O ho ho ho ho ho~

**Definitions:**

**Youkai:** demons

**Hanyou:** half-demon (the other half? Well… that depends ^_^, but it's usually human)

**Kami-sama:** God (actually, not literally meaning God – but it's as close of an approximation as you're likely to get in Japanese). The way I have Kagome saying it, it's like she's saying "dear God". The poor thing was simply overwhelmed by the image Sesshoumaru presented. ^_~

   [1]: mailto:h_shunu@hotmail.com?subject=Full%20Circle



	9. Family Reunions Are a Necessary Evil

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DISCLAIMER: All Inuyasha characters are the creation of, and © to Rumiko Takahashi, and subsequent parties. Full Circle is the creation of my demented mind, and © to Shun'u Hanashiro 2000-2001.

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Author's Notes: _Italicized_ text (or //) can indicate private/unvoiced thoughts – or – flashback sequences. Colons [::] indicate insinuated thoughts by another character into one's subconscious. Be forewarned that all of the events prior to tankouban 14 of the manga are up for grabs in this story.

Thank you to everyone who has been encouraging me to write this story. It has been long delayed due to recent major changes in my life, of which include moving to Japan. ^_^ You guys are great!

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December 2001

F U L L • C I R C L E

An Inuyasha Fanfiction

By Shun'u Hanashiro

Have you ever experienced déjà vu?

Say you wake up one morning and go about your daily routine. There's nothing really different about it except for those little incidences that separate one day from the next – events that you don't normally notice on a conscious level. Maybe the toothpaste tastes wrong because you accidentally bought the wrong brand, or maybe the eggs aren't done quite right. Whatever it is, *something* is different. Then comes afternoon, and suddenly you're struck with the absolute, unshakable knowledge that everything you've done has been completed before.

No, it isn't just about brushing your teeth in the morning, or eating the same breakfast and lunch. It's about the feeling that every exchange of courtesies, every encounter with another person, every incident that makes one day unique from the other 364 and keeps it from blending in with the rest, has been done before and in the exact same way.

As if time were frozen and set to rewind with each stroke of midnight so that you would be cursed to repeat a single day over and over again.

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F U L L • C I R C L E

An Inuyasha Fanfiction

By Shun'u Hanashiro

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Part 9: Family Reunions Are a Necessary Evil

Inuyasha was having one of those days.

From the moment Miroku sent him tumbling through the Air Rip into the tedious hours of searching that followed, Inuyasha ran across one too many familiar creatures. It felt as though he was seeing ghosts. Phantoms of old enemies that had demonic faces, bestial faces, ugly, pretty, commonplace faces. None of which would have mattered one whit to him except for the inconvenient fact that they were alive.

That is to say that most of them were alive. He couldn't discount the bodies. Whole or partial, newly dead or already well beyond rigor mortis and decomposing, they littered the grayish realm he had been cast into and singed the air with their stench – rotting or otherwise. After all, demons weren't exactly reputed for their hygiene. With only a few rare exceptions, Inuyasha couldn't think of many who cleaned their bodies on a regular basis.

He would have been happier if they were all in some atrophic state or another. As it were, progress was severely hindered by frequent scuffles with minor demons that just couldn't seem to understand that he was in a hurry; and no, he didn't care about them or their grudges. The little buggers were constantly hounding him with their petty revenge. Damn it, but he had a girl to rescue. What did it take to get that point across?

Which brought to mind another worry. Had Kagome been forced to fight off these demons too? Treading close on the heels of that thought, he wondered if Sesshoumaru had allowed her to be hurt. If memory served right, more than a healthy dose of those bodies had been victim to his brother's poisonous claws. Shredded flesh incongruously dusted with the light floral scent of Sesshoumaru's distinctive poison had been more or less a signature, leaving an easy trail for Inuyasha to follow. The arrogance of Sesshoumaru never failed to amaze him.

Inuyasha growled and stepped up his already high-velocity sprint across blurring terrain. Breath coming in even puffs, a second wind refreshing limbs tired from a night's worth of constant travel and a week's worth of worry, Inuyasha separated mind from body as he opened a long neglected doorway and plunged headlong into the unsolved puzzle his half-brother posed. For as far back as Inuyasha could remember the inner workings of Sesshoumaru's mind had been a mystery to him. How many times in the past had he attempted to unravel those tangled skeins? Gaining for his trouble nothing but skull-splitting headaches that left him out of sorts and snapping at innocent people without provocation.

Many a time the violent rampages of his youth had been caused by that very frustration. Then again, anything even remotely related to Sesshoumaru never failed to have an adverse affect on his temper. It seemed that they were fated to rub each other the wrong way. Maybe one of them had been a cat in a previous life while the other a dog, and ever since then their karmas were trapped in a never-ending cycle of hostility, set to rewind with each new lifetime.

Inuyasha ran beneath the jagged shade cast by a copse of trees. Speckled across the murky dimension were spots that had sharper definition than the rest. Only in these areas was Inuyasha able to find the flora and fauna that proved life and death truly did exist in this place; other than that, he was immersed in a melting world. How anyone could make heads or tails of it, he didn't know.

He came to a dust kicking halt on the outskirts of yet another plot of semi-habitable land after having followed the trail of bloody bodies. His spine tingled and he cautiously sniffed. There were four distinct scents. Three of them were familiar. Disturbingly commingled were the scents of midnight and sandalwood, and sunlight and wildflowers. In the periphery of those combined fragrances was the musk of a human he did not know. He had been following those three all night. Then, immediately within that area, there was Naraku's offspring.

Inuyasha grimaced in distaste. Of course Naraku's offspring would be around; he should have known. Away from Naraku's poisonous interference and alone with his thoughts, Inuyasha had no choice but to acknowledge the patent evidence presented to him. At this point where gray castle stood crumbling amidst knotted green limbs of vegetation, Inuyasha admitted that he had been manipulated into a clever trap by his nemesis. For that was the truth of the matter – Kagome had not been frightened of Sesshoumaru on that day, and for once his brother had not been seeking a fight. He had only retaliated in kind when provoked, much to Inuyasha's belated chagrin.

Which left Inuyasha to brood over the how comes and whatnots of recent events. Last he recalled Kagome had not been chummy with Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha knew without a doubting bone in his body that Kagome had been more wary about his blood relative than any other enemy they had ever encountered. Including Naraku. Which said a lot about her apprehension of Sesshoumaru.

So why? Kagome was impetuous, but never to the point of risking her life, and absolutely never the lives of her friends and family; she was kind and compassionate, but she was not foolhardy.

So… What had he missed? And when?

**********

Inuyasha eyed the looming monstrosity with something akin to revulsion, and weighed his options with care. He could sneak in; which was the wiser, but ultimately inefficient course without firsthand knowledge of the castle's floor plan. He could always barge in with claws at the ready. This second option was definitely his style, but he decided that it would more likely get him decapitated than not once he recalled that he didn't have Tetsusaiga in hand as an added defense. Or – and this was not something that he really considered to be a choice – he could patiently wait for Sesshoumaru to seek him out.

If there was one characteristic that they shared, it was the love of a good, muscle bruising, bone shattering, and no holds barred brawl... Inuyasha's higher cerebral faculties, overstrained from too little rest in too long of time, came to a sputtering halt.

Now where had that little piece of enlightenment come from?

It was a good thing that Inuyasha was immediately absorbed in this newfound puzzle. Had he been in the right frame of mind, Inuyasha would have noticed that the sounds his brain was making sounded a lot like Jaken at his blubbering worst. And *that* might just have been enough to make Inuyasha cry.

**********

Kyosuke swatted at hovering Saimyoushou in great annoyance. The winged critters that had tormented him in many a battle against Naraku were buzzing loudly and acting as if an electrical current were running through their ranks. Agitated? What an understatement. He crushed a particularly annoying one that was presumptuous enough to land on his shoulder. With the re-emergence of the swarming Saimyoushou Kyosuke knew that Naraku was nearby. It was only a matter of time before the hanyou would make his appearance. Time, place and opportunity – Naraku would be sure to take advantage of whatever situation came up.

It was barely morning. The golden sun had not yet fully woken from his daily slumber to crest the ubiquitous flat horizon. There was a palpable energy in the moist air that hinted at something big. Today, something nearly apocalyptic in immensity would happen. And what, might one ask, was a hedonistic creature such as Kyosuke doing awake and watchful in the wee hours of dawn? Why, waiting of course.

Destiny did not wait for the slothful. Revenge was long overdue.

**********

It was going to be a stormy day back in the village protected by the magical aura of Inuyasha's forest. Unrest was in the air; lightning crashed and wreaked havoc in the darkening skies as thunder rumbled its displeasure. Suspicious villagers congregated in the larger homes, seeking comfort and refuge amongst each other. Cooking more than customary. Drinking more than wise. It made little difference if a person didn't have the ability to sense magic or powers beyond their ken. No one could miss the rolling thunder and what it foretold.

Kaede's humble abode was no different. Only within its four walls there were three people instead of fifteen. Shippou sat by the fire with a fresh cup of tea carefully spiced with herbs that would help to soothe his nerves. Miroku sat next to him with legs crossed, his monk's staff leaning against one shoulder and supported by folded arms. His eyes were distant, and she didn't know if his thoughts were with Inuyasha and Kagome, or on Sango who was still absent and probably in the storm unless she had managed to find shelter. The elderly priestess busied herself with cooking shiro-miso soup and fluffing up the steamed rice so that it cooked evenly. Puttering about her home, Kaede was content to wait. One of the benefits of a long life was that she had learned not to stress over things that were beyond her control. Fate would play itself out. And in the meantime she would pray that her friends would come out safe.

They had not heard word from Inuyasha, but that meant little – none of them expected to so soon after his departure. If they were lucky, Inuyasha would return with Kagome within the week. If they were not, their friends might end up dying in the alternate realm beyond the Air Rip. If such an event were to happen, it would be disastrous – for quite possibly, Inuyasha and Kagome were the only two people in the world capable of restoring the Shikon no Tama to its original form and purity.

**********

Kikyou paced from wooden wall to paper screen, counting nine even steps each way then turning back again to repeat her linear path. At the center of the room sat Naraku on an embroidered square pillow of wine red shot with gold thread. He was quiet, too quiet.

"What are you plotting Naraku?"

"Plotting?" he asked.

Naraku ran his fingers across the jewel in his left palm. Although it resembled a pearl in color and luminescence, it lacked the sandpapery coarseness of one, and whereas a pearl warmed through contact and handling, the Shikon no Tama was silky and cool no matter what temperature it was exposed to. Through _his_ handling it was almost clammy, all of its potential warmth chased away by his presence.

He said, "What makes you think that I'm plotting something?"

"Don't be coy," Kikyou said flatly. "You do not trust this offspring of yours. Which means that you have another plan in mind to deal with Kagome."

Naraku slid his treasure into a hidden pocket deep in the folds of his dark violet kimono. He glanced across the room to the woman who had helped to create him through an odd mix of circumstances. She was still the same as when she had tended him as the weak minded Onigumo, still beautiful, still untouchable. What was it about Kikyou that had drawn him and Inuyasha along with countless other demons flocking to her? Was it because she was a pure priestess, or was it because she stood on that fine line between human and monster? He wondered what it would take to tip that scale, what it would take to make her turn into a monster. Or had that line already been crossed long ago?

Kikyou shifted. She felt the weight of Naraku's gaze and felt unaccountably exposed. He was still watching her with those darkened, soulless eyes. It was disturbing. Eyes were supposed to reflect one's soul. If Naraku's eyes were soulless as she stared into them, did that mean that he lacked a soul, or was it she who had none to reflect? She broke contact and busied herself with staring at her weapon, the bow, which she held in a white knuckled grasp. The question returned to her: why was she still feeling so much?

"What are you plotting?" She asked again for no reason other than to break the silence that hung between them. She forced her hand to relax.

"I believe it's time to see Inuyasha."

"See Inuyasha?"

"Yes," Naraku rose to his feet and beckoned to her. "Would you like to see your love once more before he dies?"

The fine cords of muscle in Kikyou's slender neck tightened. "We already agreed that Inuyasha is mine to deal with as I will. I don't care what you do to the others, or with the jewel, but whatever you plan, do not lay a hand on Inuyasha's head."

Naraku didn't answer. Kikyou stared after him. There was no doubt in her mind that Naraku had more in store for Inuyasha than he was revealing. The question was whether or not his plans suited her objectives.

**********

Sesshoumaru watched Inuyasha from his position on the castle's rooftop. He had woken up early that morning upon sensing his brother's distinctive presence nearby. Leaving Kagome still sound asleep, he had decided that watching Inuyasha stumble blindly about would be an amusing pastime. What surprised him was the fact that Inuyasha was not behaving impulsively as usual, but seemed to be thinking things through before acting. Perhaps he had underestimated his brother. Or maybe, just maybe, the truth had finally dawned on the little mutt that he was not at fault for their present situation.

At the moment Inuyasha was sniffing his way about the castle grounds. Head to the ground and on all fours in his rat-fur kimono, he really did resemble a great red dog with white ears. Sesshoumaru recalled the day that Inuyasha's late mother had proudly shown his father the hand sewn outfit – to this day he could not bring himself to call that human bitch his stepmother – Inuyasha had only been four or five at the time. Of course the boy had had no inkling that rat-fur was priceless because the breed of demon it came from was nearly extinct. He had only known that the carefully cleaned and cured fur still reeked of blood and had reacted accordingly, causing his human mother to weep from his outburst.

That was the one and only time that father had shown any displeasure towards his second son. It was also the only time that Sesshoumaru had spoken up in Inuyasha's defense. He hadn't been able to stand the smell any more than Inuyasha could. If memory served correctly, they had both been exiled from their father's presence for the rest of that night: the night of the new moon. It had been interesting to say the least. Sesshoumaru had never been around long enough to witness Inuyasha's monthly transformation into full humanity. Watching his little brother's change, he had expected to feel animosity or disgust. He had felt neither. Instead, the urge to protect Inuyasha's vulnerable state had been most prevalent.

**********

__

The bitch was crying again. Very noisily, Sesshoumaru thought in distaste. All he had returned for this time was to exchange a few of the scrolls that he had borrowed for new ones from his father's ever-growing collection. He hadn't even intended to come near his father's second wife, hadn't actually wanted to be seen by anyone in the household, as a matter of fact. But all of his intentions had flown out the window when the woman's wailing broke into his consciousness.

She was in her appointed rooms with Inuyasha, clutching red cloth to her chest and weeping while the little boy pinched his little nose and tried to breathe as little as possible. Their father was standing between the two with a displeased look across his normally sanguine features. Sesshoumaru took a closer look at Inuyasha, immediately sensing that his father was not happy with his second son, and saw how the little boy breathed through his mouth in little puffs of air that were just barely sufficient to keep him upright. It wasn't hard to figure out why.

Fire-rat youkai had been a slowly disappearing species since nearly a thousand years before, when the Buddhist monks first came to Nippon with their pictographic writing system and philosophical teachings. Now they were extremely difficult to find although their fur was much sought after. His father must have caught and trapped a red fire-rat on one of his many sojourns through the western lands, for in his stepmother's hands was a stretch of cured red fire-rat fur carefully sewn into a man's kimono. The kimono was well made and carefully designed for an active person to wear comfortably. The problem was that newly treated fur stank. Something that a human would barely smell easily burned the sensitive nasal tracts of demons, especially dog demons, with its stench. That was why it was supposed to be left to aerate outside for at least a month, then soaked in perfumed water, and then left to aerate once again before using it in any form. Apparently the woman hadn't known any better than to bring it indoors so soon after the kill. The smell of copper was strong in the confines of the room.

"Sesshoumaru," his father said tightly. The smell must have been killing his father as well. "Take your brother outside for a moment."

Sesshoumaru blinked ever so slowly. It was strange. He hadn't taken orders from anyone in a long time, least of all from his father with whom he hadn't truly conversed for years. The last person he had taken an order from was his mother, and that was because it had been her dying wish. Remembering that, something in him rebelled at being told what to do by a man who had forgotten his first wife so soon after her death to marry another.

"What happened?" Sesshoumaru asked. He didn't move an inch to follow his father's order.

"Sesshoumaru." There was warning in the demon lord's voice, a soft growl that ran beneath his words. Sesshoumaru was familiar with the trick. It was how dog demons let each other know that they were toeing the line that separated civil and uncivil behavior. Like his mother before him, Sesshoumaru only followed the rules of civilization when it suited him.

"Maru-niichan!" Inuyasha ran to his older brother and clung to the tall youkai's leg, little hands clenched tight on the white silk of Sesshoumaru's kimono.

"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru picked the boy up and tucked Inuyasha into his side, at his left hip. Normally he didn't show the brat much affection, but for some reason everyone else's disapproval of the boy adversely made him want to defend Inuyasha. Had he known better, Sesshoumaru would have recognized that he was displaying the sibling double standard that seemed to exist in all cultures: he could pick on his half-brother, but no one else was allowed to.

With his fingers still clamped over the bridge of his nose, Inuyasha's whisper was slightly whiny due to his obstructed nasal airway, "It stinks, Maru-niichan. I don't wanna wear it."

"You don't have to yet, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru pointed out. The kimono was cut to the size of an adult. Inuyasha wouldn't be wearing it for at least another ten years, assuming that his adolescent growth spurts followed along the pattern of normal youkai development. "You'll wear that when you're old enough."

"But it stinks!" The child insisted in a theatrical whisper. "It smells like dead things, Maru-niichan." He needed someone to understand his dilemma.

"Inuyasha!" Their father rebuked with flashing eyes of gold. "You will apologize to your mother this instant."

"Why should he?" Sesshoumaru deliberately fueled the slow burning fire. "He's right. The fur is rank. She should have known better than to bring it inside this soon."

"Get out." When no one moved immediately, the western lord roared, "Get out, now!"

Both of his sons left, one with a defiant glare and the other trembling from his raised voice. He hadn't meant to lose his temper. It was hard enough raising a hanyou son, trying to teach him the discipline a demon had to have in order for him to control his baser instincts, while at the same time giving him the emotional support that he needed as a human being. But top that off with a grown son who had a mind of his own and openly defied him at every possible turn; a son who reminded the youkai lord so much of his first love when her hackles were riled. When pride and his contrary, stubborn nature showed through that wintry, indifferent façade, Sesshoumaru was every inch his mother's son.

**********

Sesshoumaru shook himself out of his reverie when he caught Kagome's scent in a passing ribbon of air. Inuyasha was upwind of him and had not caught onto Kagome's presence yet, which suited Sesshoumaru fine. He wanted to confront Inuyasha before his brother saw Kagome. _You don't want there to be misunderstandings; you don't want her to be hurt in the crossfire._ The youkai lord shook his head ruefully. In the short days of his acquaintance and subsequent friendship with Kagome, he had changed. Whether it was for better or for worse was still up for debate. He conjured a cloud of energy to assist his descent.

The little devil inside Sesshoumaru, who had been dormant for an inordinately long time, wouldn't let him say a simple good morning.

"You've come at last, Inuyasha. What took so long? Couldn't follow the obvious trail I left for you? And here I thought that you had outgrown your bumbling idiot stage."

Inuyasha heard the dark voice and a roaring sound rushed to his ears, effectively drowning out half of Sesshoumaru's words. He pivoted around to face his half-brother, furry ears flattened against his head, and an angry tirade on the verge of falling from his lips out of sheer habit. Arguing had somehow become a knee-jerk reaction between them, something that they had to do the same way other people had to breathe. However, the sight of Sesshoumaru in clothing more suited to Kagome's time than his own arrested Inuyasha. He knew that it wasn't truly important what Sesshoumaru wore. No, that wasn't why Inuyasha was so flustered. It was just that after his travails of the past week, this was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.

"What the hell happened to you?!"

Sesshoumaru's lips thinned into frown. Inuyasha almost thought that his brother would ignore him, or worse, attack him.

But all Sesshoumaru did was murmur, "…Still as rude as ever. Is that any way to greet a person?"

Inuyasha was startled by his brother's almost cordial tone. During the night he had already prepared himself for meeting a different Sesshoumaru, but… looking at him… seeing the tall youkai lord lean casually against a smooth, white bark tree peppered with whorls of burnt sienna, with his dark attire at stark contrast against the waterfall of brilliant moon-white hair, Inuyasha had to think that nothing had prepared him for this even-tempered person. It was at once a pleasant change and a disturbing one.

Suspicions clouding Inuyasha's clear golden eyes, he said, "All right, who are you and tell me what you've done with my brother."

"There's no reason to be belligerent." His brother sounded so cross when he spoke that it made Inuyasha feel better. Maybe he wasn't the only one having a difficult time adjusting to this new and improved Sesshoumaru. It was nice to know that even his unflappable brother was confused by the changes in him. Inuyasha relaxed a little.

He asked, "Where's Kagome, Sesshoumaru?"

"In the castle…" _She woke up five minutes ago._ "How did you get here?"

"Miroku." Inuyasha's tone was sharp. He hadn't missed the little drift of Sesshoumaru's attention when he mentioned Kagome. His brother's focus _never_ drifted. Never before, that is.

"I see… that cursed hand…" Sesshoumaru shook his head. "You realize that Naraku will in all likelihood make an appearance."

"Of course." _What does he think I am, an idiot?_ Inuyasha crossed his arms and decided to put aside pointless arguing to ask the most important question of the moment. "Whose side will you be on when he comes, Sesshoumaru?"

The youkai lord narrowed amber eyes at him. "Don't be insulting, Inuyasha. There has never been a time when I've allied myself to that disgusting hanyou."

Inuyasha involuntarily flinched at the derisive tone his brother took when he said half-breed. It reminded him too much of the verbal barbs and emotional bloodlettings he had suffered at the uncaring hands of humans and youkai alike, his brother included.

"Well, don't let _this_ disgusting hanyou hold you back from leaving then," Inuyasha snapped back. "I'll take care of things from here."

"Are you so sure of that, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru's tone was sharp. "You would risk Kagome's life for your pride?" Silence stretched. He let Inuyasha absorb the significance of his question before his own mind took a leap and he said in a softer voice, "What do you think I think of you, Inuyasha?"

The non sequitur threw Inuyasha off center. He stared at his brother. "What?"

Sesshoumaru made a cutting gesture with the knife-edge of his hand. "Do you think that I would class you along with other demons, you, the son of our father? No matter what people may say about you, your heritage is that of a demon lord and human princess from a noble line. Even if I hated that bitch, there is nothing to be ashamed of in your ancestry." Sesshoumaru came to an abrupt stop. He was a little shocked at his honesty but even more so by what he left unsaid: _I only used your weaknesses to make you fight harder. To make you stronger..._

Inuyasha's jaw nearly dropped. He stared at his brother as if Sesshoumaru had become some sort of alien creature. _What the hell brought that on?_ He shook his head in wonder. Their father had been a sensitive, and therefore taboo, subject never to be mentioned between them ever since the demon lord's death. _Even when fighting over Tetsusaiga… For Sesshoumaru to bring up the subject out of the blue…_

This was the most Sesshoumaru had ever said to him outside of taunts and insults since their father had been alive. Inuyasha struggled between learned distrust and a sudden burgeoning of the most confounding of human concepts: hope.

"Why are you saying this now, Sesshoumaru?" he finally asked wearily.

"It is the appropriate time," he said.

"You killed him." Inuyasha whispered in remembered pain. _Just like Hahaue said you one day would._ Hadn't he said that also, back then?

Things were moving too quickly. Something instinct inside Inuyasha said that Sesshoumaru was sincere, that _this_ was the true Sesshoumaru emerging from behind a cleverly constructed mask. But how did one forget past hurts? Kagome might have been able to; her heart was big enough to encompass a lifetime of pain and still forgive the transgressions committed against her. He could not. He could only overcome the hurt. But that took time.

"I didn't kill him." Sesshoumaru spoke so softly that, even with a dog-demon's superior hearing, Inuyasha almost missed the words altogether.

"I could smell Chichiue's blood on you," Inuyasha forced through a tight throat. Again, that sense of déjà vu – he had said these words a lifetime ago. "That was your poison in his body." These were the facts, as he knew them. "He was dead in your arms."

Sesshoumaru remembered well what had happened. His cursed memory refused to let him forget how he had been too wrapped up in his own grief to consider the affect their father's death would have on his much younger half-brother. How he had conveniently forgotten about his promise to his father until fifty years too late, and Inuyasha had already been pinned to the Old God Tree to sleep an eternal sleep. He hadn't learned of his ability to comfort until recently. Still, that did not necessarily mean that he was at ease with offering consolation. For all of his skill in semantics, it was surprisingly difficult to express those thoughts closest to his heart.

"There is more that you do not know," Sesshoumaru said.

Inuyasha saw for the first time how ancient his brother's eyes were. The two dark, burnished-gold orbs were set in a porcelain face of ageless beauty. That beauty would not wither away with time, like with so many of the lesser races. Sesshoumaru would retain his unique, untouchable aura until the day he died. Curiosity aroused, Inuyasha wanted to hear what Sesshoumaru had to say. They had gone fifteen minutes in each other's company without breaking into a fight. That had to be a record in someone's book.

"What else, Sesshoumaru? What do I need to know?"

Deciding that it was nigh time for explanations to be made, Sesshoumaru sat on the cleanest looking stone he could find and settled in for a long story. Inuyasha mirrored his actions, but chose to sit on one of the lower tree branches. "Are you ready to listen now, Inuyasha?"

"I'm here, aren't I?" Inuyasha sighed. He hadn't intended to sound rude. Sometimes he just said what he honestly thought without considering how his words sounded to others. He rephrased with, "I'm ready to listen."

**********

Kagome emerged from the castle with a great sense of foreboding. The day was beautiful but there was dark energy gathering. She could feel it pressing against her skin, causing goose bumps and the tiny hairs on her arms to stand at attention. She rubbed her arms vigorously in a vain attempt to dispel the eerie sensation. In an ideal world it would have worked. Then again, in an ideal world she wouldn't be stuck in an alternate dimension waiting for her enemies to find her. Nor would she have enemies.

The snap of a twig made Kagome jump.

"Who's there?" she called out while scanning the trees near where the sound had come from.

"It is I, Kikyou."

__

Great, as if Naraku weren't enough, here's another person I don't want to see. The priestess came into view and Kagome marveled at how she could have missed the bright red and white of Kikyou's priestess clothing.

"You are peculiarly quiet, reincarnation."

For some reason Kagome didn't feel the usual trepidation and sense of insignificance from being near Kikyou. There was a rush of irritation instead, something that was unexpected and made her pause to speculate on where the newfound confidence had come from.

"I have a name," Kagome heard herself say, "and it's Kagome."

Kikyou couldn't disguise her surprise at Kagome's bold words. This was unlike the uncertain girl-child that she had confronted on past occasions. Standing before her now was a young woman who knew her mind and had the willpower to enforce her beliefs. _You've grown, my reincarnation. I wonder…_ She stepped closer to gauge whether or not the girl had also grown in spiritual power. There was something there. Something else was different about Kagome. If she could only pinpoint what it was…

"So the little girl has grown up at last." Kikyou still couldn't tell what it was about Kagome that made her aura glow so brilliantly, but she processed the data available to her and made a wild guess. "Was it that youkai who helped you attain your maturity, Kagome?"

Ignoring the sly innuendo, Kagome sidestepped the question as well as Kikyou's attempt to reach her. "How did you get here, Kikyou? Are you working with Naraku again?"

Anger flickered in the depths of Kikyou's dark gray gaze. "Don't play games with me, little girl. I want answers."

"So do I," Kagome mumbled.

She stubbornly stood her ground even as her heart picked up its steady pace. _I'm no match for Kikyou. _She knew that she was out-powered and out-skilled. Kikyou was experienced with tapping into and using her priestess powers; she had battled youkai for years as the protector of the Shikon no Tama. Who was Kagome, but an average teenager without any skills beyond that which she learned by trial and error. She had been forced to discover her abilities by circumstances outside of her control. That did not necessarily mean that she had any control of them. Whenever her mysterious power bothered to manifest itself, it was from duress and not conscious thought. How in the world would that help her against someone like Kikyou? But she'd be damned if she would let Kikyou outwit her this time.

"Do you think that you can avoid my questions for long? What makes you think that I cannot extract all of the information I want from that pretty head of yours?"

Kagome's spine stiffened. Again, she didn't know where it was coming from, but daring words spilled from her before she could tamp down the rush. Too much stress had had its toll; she was tired. Tired of the condescension from Kikyou. Tired of Inuyasha's demands on her time and his constant hedging whenever Kikyou was within sight or on his mind. Tired of missing her family and friends from her time. Tired of spreading herself out too thin to please everyone in her life, leaving so little for herself in the end that sometimes she just felt like screaming in frustration.

"If you had the ability, you would have done it already instead of standing there and spouting lies," said Kagome. Then she stared at Kikyou with her chin firm and slate-blue eyes glittering in direct challenge.

Kikyou was not used to being opposed by anyone, least of all by Kagome. "You'll regret your words, little girl. You forget that you exist because of me. Without me, you would never have existed in the first place."

Kagome could almost hear Sesshoumaru in her head…

__

"You're nothing like her."

"I look almost exactly like Kikyou."

"No, there are many differences… Your resemblance to that priestess is only superficial."

"Everyone keeps telling me that I'm her reincarnation… Was it only through coincidence and circumstance that I was the one to free Inuyasha from Kikyou's spell?"

"Maybe not. That would be fate playing its course. But I know that you aren't the same person as she was or is. Eyes, hair, height, and voice are all different… Your scent, too."

"That- that's nice to know."

He had said that she was different, that she wasn't just a reincarnation… Maybe it was time to believe. Her voice soft, less than a whisper in its gentleness, she refuted Kikyou's words.

"No." Kagome gained conviction and momentum. "No, I don't exist because of you." Glaring at her almost twin image, she finally understood that it was the "almost" that was all-important. "_You_ exist because of _me_."

**********

"Father had been battling with a tiger-demon earlier that day. Blood relative to the one I had killed a couple of years before. He was out to avenge his cousin's death. But where the other demon had been old and overconfident because of it, this one was young and ruthless. He fought with the skill of an experienced hunter. Even so, Father would have fared well against him were it not for the poison in the tiger-demon's claws."

**********

Kyosuke witnessed the entire confrontation between Kagome and the priestess. He had been woolgathering in the woods when the hatred of a disquiet spirit alerted him to the presence of a stranger and possible enemy on the castle grounds. Following his sixth sense had led him to the eerily similar women facing off in the open. It had taken him aback to see the priestess. Her resemblance to Kagome was striking. Still as stone and nearly as expressionless, it was as if a sculptor had taken Kagome's image and carved it from marble.

Moreover, the priestess…

Kyosuke repressed a telltale shiver. The disquiet spirit that he had sensed was she. That such dark emotion existed in a priestess was almost blasphemous; they were supposed to be the protectors, the guardians of everything good and pure in the world. This creature was not out to protect anyone. Kyosuke felt the dark energy surrounding her and knew that she had the power to cause immense damage should she have the desire to, but more than that Kyosuke was aware that she was not living.

__

This one is dead. Her spirit clings to the mortal realm by a thin thread that unravels little by little, breath by breath. An unraveling that she fights; a thread that she reweaves and bolsters with stolen souls of the innocent.

His Buddhist teachings and training might have been rusty, but they were not rusty enough that he did not recognize death when he saw it staring out of winter's gray eyes. And where there was death, hell was not far behind. They came hand in hand.

Naraku was out there somewhere waiting like the parasitic leach that he was. Long years of battling the slippery coward had taught Kyosuke that the hanyou's method of operation was a pattern that he followed religiously. First confusion, then misunderstanding, then once all of his enemies were busy going at each other's throats, he would make his appearance and take advantage of everyone's weakened states. By then it would be too late for everyone to escape unscathed.

This time things would be different. This time, Kyosuke was determined to catch the hanyou before he could wreak havoc on his friends.

**********

"I came home too late. By the time I found him, Father was already dying. His bloodstream was already infected with the poison and he was being eaten from inside out. It was like an acid had been injected into his veins. Acid from another powerful demon is not easy to negate. Had I saved his life, he would have been infirm and crippled for the remainder of his life. I didn't want that for him. _He_ didn't want that."

**********

"Baba."

She wanted very dearly to kill the bastard who had created her, then thrown her away like such unwanted refuse. She wanted to torture him a little for the lonely life she had had to lead in the Gray Dimension. In fact, she wanted to skin him, and then keep him alive with the power of magic so that he could suffer the excruciating pain of infection for as long as she desired. Somehow the Gray Witch managed to keep her animosity in check and shuffled forward to meet her maker in a properly humble manner.

"Naraku-sama."

Naraku knew precisely what his offspring thought of him, what indeed most of them thought of him in the long run. None of it mattered. Soon this one would be dead and he would be less one encumbrance. In the meantime, he had some use for the old hag.

"I have come for Inuyasha and that girl, Kagome…" Naraku carefully watched the old hag for any sign of treasonous thoughts. "There are complications, however. Hide in the shadows and be my eyes and ears. If any of them makes a move against me, I want you to interfere."

"And Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Naraku did not care for her hesitant, respectful tone of the youkai lord. He said sharply, "He, too, is my enemy. Kill him if he so much as blinks."

The Gray Witch doubted very much that killing a person such as Sesshoumaru would be possible without dire consequences. After all, he was not called the destroyer of life for no reason.

She said simply, "As you wish, Naraku-sama."

**********

Sesshoumaru paused to take a deep breath. His noticed that his hands were clenched into tight fists and that his sharp claws had bitten into them to draw five points of blood on each palmar surface. He hadn't consciously thought of that day in a long time.

"I did the only thing that I could. I used my own poison to numb his nerves so that he would not feel pain in the last moments of his life."

**********

Kikyou didn't bother to hide her fury at Kagome's proclamation. She had been considering giving her reincarnation a chance at life. Maybe allow her to return to her own time unharmed. She had come to Kagome with compromise on her mind and mercy in her heart. _I was going to let you go. So long as you agreed not to ever see Inuyasha again, I was willing to let you live…_ Kikyou stared hard at the proud set of Kagome's shoulders and her ramrod straight posture. _I don't think that will be an option anymore. Grown so much in these short days… now you're a real danger to my existence. Say goodbye, Kagome, you've lost your last opportunity to lead a normal life._

The hatred that she had nurtured within her soul for Inuyasha burned brighter and extended to include Kagome within its growing circumference. Licking flames met with each last remnant of humanity Kikyou had. Seared it away. Leaving behind a core of steel. The murderous intent in the priestess' gray eyes was easy to read. There was hatred, and then there was _hatred_. What Kikyou was exuding through her aura was the deepest kind of enmity that one person could hold for another. If she focused on her senses, Kagome could see the flashing of tainted spiritual energy that surrounded Kikyou's body. She could almost taste the naked emotion. Bitter with a dash of something that Kagome didn't understand in spite of her empathetic nature.

**********

They sat in quiet contemplation after he told the entire tale of how their father had truly died, he on a large stone and Inuyasha on a tree branch. For him, it was a moment to gather his composure. For Inuyasha, he didn't know what the silence meant. His brother was usually such a physically active person that it was strange to see him sit still for even a short amount of time unless he was asleep. Sesshoumaru was so absorbed in his thoughts that he would have missed the change in the air currents had it not been for the tingle of energy that ran from his fingertips, up both arms, and straight into his heart. There was only one person he could think of who could cause that reaction in him.

__

Kagome!

Alarm bells rang in his ears and he leapt onto the branch above Inuyasha's to search the castle grounds from a better perspective. Almost simultaneously Inuyasha's ears perked up and he straightened, aiming unerringly towards the castle's east wing where Kagome would have come from had she been exiting it. They shared a glance rich with meaning. The discussion would continue after they were back home and free from Naraku's schemes. For the time being they would be allies for the sake of survival.

**********

Naraku smiled as he observed Kikyou and Kagome facing off and the brothers coming abreast of the two women. "This is almost too perfect. All of the players are taking their spots. I wonder who will stick true to their lines." Scanning the area, Naraku caught a flash of movement behind a tree. "But what is this? It seems that we have a wild card."

He watched the man duck back behind his tree when Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru appeared. Naraku couldn't make out his appearance, but the man looked familiar. Even if he had been a hapless bystander, Naraku would still have killed him. He didn't want another chance interruption like the last time. He would rather kill the interloper before risking the escape of his enemies yet again.

**********

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru arrived at the scene of eminent battle.

Sesshoumaru recognized the priestess although they had never met before. Antipathy struck him at the mere sight of her, a natural hostility that stemmed not only from his perceptions through Kagome's memories, but also from the fact that the so-called priestess reeked of necromancy. She was supposed to be dead and buried six feet under, yet she was not. Instead she stood there, a marionette filled with earth and bone, a partial soul with only a fraction of her being left to cling to life. She consisted of insufficient scraps of emotion that could barely be distinguished as human in origin. The malevolence that draped Kikyou's shoulders like a much-cherished shroud was demonic. A hanyou by choice, her existence was abhorrent to Sesshoumaru. Youkai were youkai by birthright, be they full blood or hanyou like his brother. It was simply unheard of that a mere human be allowed to cross species by choice. Sesshoumaru considered the priestess to be no better than Naraku.

Inuyasha obviously felt differently. For while Sesshoumaru went to Kagome's side, radiating a calm to soothe her nerves and quietly inquiring about her well being, Inuyasha was torn as to whom to approach. Things were more complicated for the hanyou. Where his brother couldn't have cared less for the priestess, Inuyasha had years of love and hate to wade through. Intellectually he knew that Kikyou hated him; emotionally he could not deny that they had once been in love. The truth was he suspected that he was still very much in love with her.

On the other hand, his feelings for Kagome had grown over the evolution of their forced companionship until it was no longer out of necessity that Inuyasha sought her company. Now he and she were friends, almost best friends. Possibly more. Going into the Air Rip, Inuyasha had been intent on Kagome – until he saw Kikyou. Now he didn't know which woman to approach.

What was he to do? His heart tripped every time Kagome smiled. Worry for her had caused him to lose a couple of decades from his lifespan. Only the reassurance of Kagome's fresh scent and her obvious lack of injury soothed his foremost worries for her safety. Whenever he was with Kagome, and just her, he found himself staring down at the ground to avoid her pretty eyes more often than not. He was always at a complete loss for words when they weren't arguing. All of that had to count for something. Didn't it?

But then, what did it mean when he saw Kikyou? What did it mean when the world stopped turning, the sun stopped warming the earth, and everything that used to mean something fell away until there was only her at the center of his universe? Drawing an unstable breath, Inuyasha raised turbulent golden eyes. His inner conflict might as well have been written in the air between the four of them. It was so painfully obvious to everyone present that Inuyasha wasn't able to choose.

That pain echoed and reverberated in Kagome's being. Being a happy and optimistic person by nature, melancholy was not an emotion that she was accustomed experiencing. However, at the moment, sadness burrowed into her heart and made itself at home. Maybe she was unfair to think that Inuyasha should come to her just because they had shared a few tender moments. After all, he had been in love with Kikyou long before Naraku had tricked them into betraying each other. If Naraku hadn't interfered, Inuyasha and Kikyou might have lived happily ever after. Kagome might never have been born.

A fine tremor shook Kagome down to her bones. The only person close enough to notice was Sesshoumaru, who stood behind her with his hand splayed upon her lower back. Neither Inuyasha nor Kikyou could see that he was the only thing standing between Kagome and collapse, but she knew and was grateful for his support. _Thank you. _Sesshoumaru glanced down at the top of her glossy waves. His eyes were unreadable; he didn't care to have the others know about his spiritual connection with Kagome as of yet, if ever, and preferred that it remain a secret between the two of them for as long as feasible. Still, he couldn't help but answer. _You're welcome._

Inuyasha finally broke out of his trance when the priestess shifted. In the brightness of day, she appeared angelic. He whispered, "Kikyou…"

Kagome stiffened and developed a new fascination for the little pebbles at her feet. Had she looked up, Kagome would have seen that Sesshoumaru's face lost all expression and his stare in Inuyasha's direction would have frozen Mt. Fuji during its peak of activity. All good will towards Inuyasha had apparently evaporated as spontaneously as it had appeared.

Icicles dripping from his fangs, the youkai lord said in mock sincerity, "This is really touching. But we have other worries at the moment, so can you put off your lovers' reunion with the walking corpse for another time, brother dear?"

Managing to keep a straight face with much effort, Kagome inwardly groaned nevertheless. _Sesshoumaru-san! That was a cruel thing to say._ It seemed wrong to rebuke him out loud, so that Inuyasha and Kikyou could hear, but that didn't stop her from berating him through a tight telepathic thread. She heard the youkai lord respond unsympathetically. _What I say is true, is it not? She is less than a zombie, nothing more than a bag of bones if you want to get technical about it. This hedging is becoming tiresome. It appears that my brother is being his usual idiot self and needs someone to point out the facts to him since he lacks the common sense to realize that he's acting like a lovesick pup over a dead woman._

Kikyou glared over Kagome's head at Sesshoumaru's cold face. Kagome had the eerie sensation that Kikyou somehow heard Sesshoumaru's disparaging remarks. The priestess made it clear by her baleful expression that she did not care for his cutting sarcasm at her expense. Sesshoumaru made it equally clear by his unwavering disregard of her presence that he didn't give a damn if her feelings had been hurt; he was focused on Inuyasha's reaction to his words and no one else's. Out of view, Kikyou's hands fisted. For a second, just after Inuyasha said her name and before the youkai had spoken, she had felt elation. Now the elusive, alien feeling was gone and she had the youkai to thank for its disappearance.

"Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha's jaw ached from the force of his clenched teeth. "Show some respect."

"For the dead? Certainly." Sesshoumaru smiled condescendingly and tilted his head in the priestess' direction. "So long as they show some respect for the living and remain in hell where they belong instead of interfering in lives not their own."

__

That son of a bitch. He has no right to speak of Kikyou like that. Taking advantage of the truce to play games… I knew I shouldn't have trusted him. It took every ounce of willpower within him, but Inuyasha managed not to lash out and strike the smirk from Sesshoumaru's face. "You have no idea what the situation is, Sesshoumaru. I won't have you slandering people out of hand just to satisfy your sadistic streak."

Sesshoumaru had to admit, if only to himself, that he oftentimes derived a sort of sadistic pleasure from the pain of others. Usually said others were of the annoying variety and well deserving of their fates. "Assuming that you were right, Inuyasha, surely that cannot be any worse than being a masochist." _What do you have to say to that, little brother?_ Just to irritate Inuyasha further, he decided to run a hand through Kagome's hair with his free hand. The one "borrowed" from a human, as the other still rested at the small of Kagome's back. He knew Kagome was blushing when she scolded him. _Cut it out, Sesshoumaru! You're picking on him on purpose. Now is not the time._

Inuyasha snapped. "Who the hell are you calling a masochist, bastard!?" He finally noticed how close Sesshoumaru was standing to Kagome. "Take your hands off of Kagome, Sesshoumaru."

"Figure it out for yourself." In mutiny of Inuyasha's harsh command, the youkai lord deliberately leaned close to sniff Kagome's hair. Ignoring the fact that she was inconspicuously grinding the heel of her foot into his leather-clad toes, Sesshoumaru added, "You can't expect me to spell everything out for you for the rest of your life."

Inuyasha clenched his hands into white-knuckled fists. There was something intrinsically wrong about seeing Sesshoumaru acting so… so… _so bloody affectionate _towards anyone. He was the most coldhearted person that Inuyasha had ever known. That the object of his affection was Kagome did not ease Inuyasha's state of mind; in fact, it disturbed him. He said, "I wouldn't dream of depending on you."

While Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were occupied trading death glares, Kagome looked about in hopes that her cheeks weren't flaming and everyone would forget her presence. Not used to being the center of attention, she would rather have been anywhere but where she was: quite literally standing between the feuding brothers. For reasons unknown, Sesshoumaru was putting her in the middle of their fight, the last place she wanted to be, and he was prodding Inuyasha into a fury with his verbal prodding.

__

And poor Inuyasha doesn't even know that Sesshoumaru is doing this just because he likes to be difficult. There's no real animosity there. Sesshoumaru is being Sesshoumaru. Making Inuyasha miserable is like an added bonus for him. Kagome sighed and clasped her hands together, trying with all of her might to ignore the volleys of antagonism passing back and forth overhead. _Why aren't I saying anything to help him? He doesn't deserve this treatment…_ Or did he? Kagome had to wonder at her own continued silence. Was there a grain of resentment hidden somewhere in her heart, a result of the hurts Inuyasha had inadvertently caused her? Did she want Inuyasha to feel some of the pain and confusion, some of the uncertainty and self-doubt that he induced in her whenever he said Kikyou's name in a sighing whisper?

Was she that petty?

Kagome involuntarily met Kikyou's unblinking gaze. The priestess was so very still. Lifeless if not for the slight rise and fall of her chest visible beneath layers of cloth, the alertness in her solemn eyes. Kikyou was the cause of so many of the undercurrents flowing between all of them, yet she remained unmoved and apart as though none of it affected her. Kagome knew better. Kikyou was not indifferent. She was not passive; she was simply biding her time and waiting for the prime opportunity when she would be at the most advantage.

A chill ran through Kagome. She fervently hoped that she hadn't inherited any of Kikyou's darker aspects along with the Shikon no Tama and their obvious physical similarities. On the chance that she had, Kagome hoped that Kikyou had taken them all back in her rebirth into the world.

**********

From his hiding place, Kyosuke felt Naraku's nearness before the others. None of them had noticed yet because all of them were too wrapped up in their private struggles to hear the buzz of Saimyoushou as the insects gathered in the woods. Carrying his staff in his un-cursed hand, Kyosuke decided that it was high time for him to make his appearance. It looked as though Sesshoumaru and Kagome would need his help. Kyosuke didn't know who the priestess was, or the other dog-demon for that matter, but he felt obligated to help Kagome, if not Sesshoumaru.

Inuyasha paused halfway through a retort to one of his brother's taunts when he heard the familiar chime of metal rings. _Miroku?_ A distance to the right of him, half hidden by trees, was a man who could have passed for Miroku. He was dressed in monk's robes and carrying a staff with golden rings on it. In his right hand were cherry-wood prayer beads wrapped many times around his palm and wrist. Inuyasha recognized his scent as the musky one that had journeyed with Sesshoumaru and Kagome through the wasteland. _The monk must have been their guide._

"Naraku is heading this way," the monk said to Sesshoumaru. Or was that to Kagome? The only thing that Inuyasha knew for sure was that the stranger smelled very much like Miroku. _He even sounds like Miroku…_ The hanyou's ears twitched. If the houshi made a move on Kagome, he would kill him, ally or not.

"Who are you?" Inuyasha asked. He momentarily pushed the argument with Sesshoumaru aside for a later date; there would be plenty of opportunities for them to fight.

The houshi turned and bowed politely. "I'm Kyosuke, pleased to meet you. And you are…"

"This is Inuyasha, Kyosuke-sama, Sesshoumaru's younger brother." Kagome added for Inuyasha's benefit, "Inuyasha, this is Miroku-sama's father."

"Miroku's father?!" Inuyasha looked at the houshi suspiciously. "Are you sure about that, Kagome? He looks too young to be the lecher's father."

Kyosuke rocked on the balls of his feet and hummed in agreement. "Yes, that would appear to be the case. This dimension seems to stall the aging process that normally occurs in our world. In actuality, I should be in my mid-forties by now, but I still look like a young man of twenty-four." He sighed wistfully. "It has been rather trying, keeping track of time in a timeless place."

Sympathetic and unsuspecting of the houshi's wiliness, Kagome said, "Life has been hard for you here. Hasn't it, Kyosuke-sama?"

"Yes, indeed."

Kyosuke moved fast for a human. In the blink of an eye he was past Inuyasha and Kikyou, and standing in front of the wide-eyed, too-kindhearted-for-her-own-good girl. Inuyasha looked at his brother in disbelief. Had he imagined it, or had the calm and collected Lord Sesshoumaru just… snarled?

"This humble monk has suffered greatly, Kagome-sama," the houshi was still speaking. "Missing out on my son's childhood was terrible. Now, from what you tell me, he is a man full grown and well on his way to avenging our family against Naraku. He will be remembered in legends for helping you in your noble quest of this Shikon no Tama, and songs will be written about him and spread throughout the land." Kyosuke grasped Kagome's small hands. "But this one cannot have the joy of fatherhood. Do you have it in your heart to allow me another chance at being a father?"

Seconds ticked by. Inuyasha winced in anticipation of the sympathy pains he was sure to feel once the houshi was put in his place. Kyosuke hadn't learned the lessons that Miroku had discovered the hard way: Kagome had a very big temper which didn't take long in revealing itself when she felt insulted by someone.

"You collect interesting friends, Inuyasha."

"Kikyou?" Inuyasha turned to her in question. The priestess face was emotionless as always. "What do you mean? And why are you here?" Inuyasha shook his head. "Thank you for your help, but you shouldn't be here." Kikyou felt a pang but it was gone in a flash before it could be examined too closely. Inuyasha wasn't finished speaking. "Naraku's dangerous. Even with your powers you can get hurt."

__

He's worried… for me?

"Go back, Kikyou." Inuyasha said. "You've done enough to help already."

"You cannot trust your brother, Inuyasha."

Her warning irritated Inuyasha. Crazy as it was, he didn't want to suspect Sesshoumaru of deceit. Their honor was supposed to set them above treachery. "I'll take care of Sesshoumaru."

"He does not have your best interest at heart."

A pounding pain began to beat behind his eyelids. He did not want to think about his complicated relationship with Sesshoumaru at the moment. Besides which it was something that should remain within family. "I know that." Inuyasha dropped his head until white bangs obscured his vision. "But he can be trusted when it comes to certain things."

Kikyou slanted Inuyasha a glance full of secrets. "Like Kagome?"

Inuyasha scowled and refused to answer. When he looked back up, Kikyou was gone.

**********

"Kyosuke-sama…" Kagome tried to reign in her exasperation. _This is Kyosuke, Miroku-sama's father. He doesn't mean to insult me. He's just being… himself. They just can't help being lecherous. The trait probably runs in their blood…_ Kagome ran through a series of excuses for the monk before saying gently, "I'm sure that you'll find a nice lady to settle down with someday, but…"

Kyosuke opened his mouth. Sesshoumaru was displeased by the monk's persistence. He detested pushy people.

"Houshi."

Kyosuke didn't bat an eye, "Sesshoumaru."

"Move. Now."

Kyosuke upped the wattage of his magnetic smile. "Of course. Forgive me. It is difficult to resist Kagome-sama's charm and beauty."

"How did you do that? Miroku always tries to do something even when I tell him to back off."

Sesshoumaru gave Inuyasha "The Look". Inuyasha felt his hackles rise. He hated being condescended as a rule, but it was always worse coming from his brother.

"Sesshoumaru-san," Kagome said, "please be nice."

"Nice?" Sesshoumaru let the world roll off his tongue. He had never used it before. How strange.

"Yes," Kagome gritted her teeth. "Nice."

"He doesn't know the word, Kagome." Inuyasha glared at his brother. "The great Lord Sesshoumaru has never been nice to anyone in his entire life."

"You would prefer that I _pretend _to like you? Is that what being "nice" entails?"

The fingers of Inuyasha's right hand flew to his left hip out of habit. He missed the feel of Tetsusaiga's weight and regretted leaving it impaled in the Old God Tree in a fit of rage. Inuyasha bared his teeth in an eerily wolfish manner. Kagome was abruptly reminded of the fact that he wasn't quite human. A fact that was often forgotten as Inuyasha behaved more like an average, hot-tempered teenager, than a demon from noble lineage, if one discounted the obvious dog-ears, lethal claws and long canine teeth that sometimes poked over his lower lip on the rare occasions when he was tricked into a full smile. She then glanced over at Sesshoumaru who looked even less human than Inuyasha with his crescent moon and red markings, white skin and full tail.

She swallowed. Their dissimilarity with humans had never been so apparent to her before. As if Sesshoumaru heard her thoughts again, he trained amber eyes on her. Kagome blanched and stepped away from him. Humans didn't have amber eyes with slit-pupils and white hair that glowed beyond something as simple as healthy sheen. Her respirations shortened into little gasps and she felt her sympathetic reactions send adrenalin coursing through her veins.

__

Kagome? His calm voice should have pacified her nerves. Instead they heightened them and Kagome almost tripped as she backed away from him and Inuyasha, and straight into Kyosuke. Sesshoumaru tried again to reach her. _Kagome!_

She jumped about a foot into the air and gave a little scream, catching everyone else's attention. To them it looked as though the girl had no reason to be so vocal, to Sesshoumaru, her reaction was alarming. Sesshoumaru reached out and grabbed Kagome's bare arm. Instantly the connection between them intensified and Sesshoumaru was able to see the chaotic state that Kagome's mind was in. _Kagome, calm down._ When no coherent response was forthcoming, Sesshoumaru grabbed both of her upper arms and shook her. He ignored Inuyasha's outraged shout and Kyosuke's indignant voice telling him to stop. _Calm down! Listen to me. Take a hold of yourself and snap out of it._

Breath shallow and rapid, skin pale and cold, pulse racing, Kagome was fast falling into shock – her body was shutting down to shield from its perceived danger, sending life sustaining blood straight to her most vital organs. The problem was that the danger was not he, but the person who was causing her to react the way that she was. Sesshoumaru finally gave a frustrated growl and ripped open the natural barrier between their minds that had always protected her deeper thoughts from him. Kagome cried out and grabbed her head between her hands.

Someone pulled Kagome away from his grasp and he was distantly aware that he was roughly thrown to the ground by clawed hands. He should have been angry that Inuyasha would dare to manhandle him, but couldn't dredge up any anger for his brother at the moment. In order to reach her fleeing spirit, Sesshoumaru had to focus on Kagome. He wasted no time in searching for her spiritual ego, their link not lessening despite the lack of physical touch. Finally he found Kagome in a dark corner of her mind curled up in a protective fetal position.

"Kagome…" She shivered and curled up tighter.

"Kagome, look at me," he said. When she made no move to comply, Sesshoumaru came closer. Immediately, Kagome skidded away on hands and knees. He bit back impatience and strove to soften his tone. "Kagome, I won't harm you. I'm trying to help."

"Help?"

Before Kagome could get her guard back up, Sesshoumaru lunged and tackled her to the ground. In the physical realm Kagome's scream pierced the air and her body jerked in Kyosuke's arms, making it hard for the monk to hold onto her. He cursed and hugged her tightly to keep her from hurting herself. Inuyasha had a hard time restraining Sesshoumaru who had somehow become as cataleptic as Kagome. The taller youkai was strong, and even unconscious was a handful almost too much to handle. Inuyasha was forced to transform into a full youkai in order to keep Sesshoumaru down. He was too absorbed in his task and worry over Kagome to see the brief shadow of a slender woman behind an old tree.

**********

"Naraku, what have you done?"

Naraku thought that Kikyou sounded very concerned for a woman who was only supposed to hate. He was aware of Kikyou's suspicion. He simply chose to ignore it. She was a useful person to have as an ally, but he wasn't about to divulge all of his plans or abilities to her. Kikyou was too smart, too cunning, had too many hidden motives. She was like himself in many regards. Since he wouldn't trust himself, he did not trust her.

"I haven't done anything. Yet." He tired of repeating the same foolishness with her time and again. Sometimes they were no better than kittens running in circles chasing their tails. "But rest assured that your mutt will remain unharmed, as per your wishes."

Naraku left her in solitude. It would have been nice, however, to have her input on what was happening in the woods. He had planned on using the Shikon no Tama to induce fear in Kagome much like he had manipulated Inuyasha's rage. It should have worked. Kagome should have become petrified of Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. During that time when her natural shields were weakened, when she was unfocused by fear and unaware of him, Naraku had planned tapping into Kagome's latent powers and using them for his own machinations.

Events hadn't unfolded quite as he had planned. Where he had been able to delve into Inuyasha's mind, having only to reach past the natural resistance of a powerful demon mind to attack him at his weakest points, Naraku had not been able to penetrate Kagome's mind in the slightest. There was an odd, invisible barrier around her that always forced him away despite the Shikon no Tama's amplification of his powers. Somehow the girl was able to protect herself even while unconscious. Where he had merely wanted their deaths before, now Naraku seriously contemplated keeping Kagome alive to find out more about her powers.

He wanted to know how she created that shield. And he wanted to know why she collapsed into herself under his attack. She had begun to show a little fear, he could see that clearly enough, but only after a few moments of panic, Kagome had simply shut down. And he didn't know why. The only thing that he did know was that Sesshoumaru was somehow involved. The youkai lord had been watching Kagome the entire time that he had been manipulating her with the jewel. What Naraku didn't understand, and wanted to know, was how Sesshoumaru had been able to detect his actions.

**********

"Kagome-sama," Kyosuke called again in hopes that she would wake up.

The girl had relaxed in his arms and now lay limp and boneless, bundled in his outer robe that he had hastily wrapped about her in hopes of warming her chilled skin. He didn't know how the other dog-demon was faring with his brother, but he was thankful that the youkai seemed more concerned for Kagome than intent on harm. _Naraku… You had a hand in this._ Kyosuke felt anger stir to life. Old anger at the cruel curse placed upon his family; new anger at Kagome's hurt, for he had no doubts that Naraku was at fault; and an abiding anger for the years he spent in the gray dimension cursed in equal measures by his inability to attain revenge and inability to die.

Naraku chose that particular moment to make his grand entrance, baboon pelt and all.

"Inuyasha…"

Naraku's smooth tone put Inuyasha on edge. In his distraction with finding Kagome he had allowed his guard to slip. Now uneasiness prickled his skin and made the fine hairs on his arms stand up. Naraku was the known enemy; Sesshoumaru was an old and unpredictable foe given to his own whimsy; Kikyou was a possible enemy that he could not discount simply because she had disappeared again; and the monk was an unknown factor. Kagome was his only definite ally, and he didn't want her to get involved in a fight. Which left Inuyasha in a bind that made his youkai blood burn and scream to be released. Without Tetsusaiga, it was even more difficult to control his bloodthirsty demonic half.

He spoke in a harsh voice. "Naraku, somehow I knew you would appear when you were least wanted."

Naraku kept his hands folded in front of him, within the deep sleeves of his kimono. His eyes were trained on Inuyasha, but his attention was divided between two of the three people he had come to destroy. Gaze hooded and deep voice untouched by emotion, he said, "So that houshi was able to figure it out and send you here? It's a shame that your mind wasn't crushed in the void. So many others have that happening to them. It's surprising that a half-breed like you was able to come through unharmed."

"Naraku! What have you done, bastard?"

Kyosuke heard Inuyasha yell at Naraku. He looked the hanyou over and noticed the similarities and dissimilarities he had to Sesshoumaru. This was the half-human dog-demon who was supposed to have been cursed to spend eternity in a sleeping death by the priestess who protected the Shikon no Tama. _What is he doing free? His youki is not that of a hanyou…_

**********

Inuyasha waited for Naraku's answer, but nothing passed his enemy's lips. Not even the chilling laughter that Naraku was wont to utter – and that bothered Inuyasha. Wasn't Naraku supposed to be gloating by now? Instead Naraku looked like he was caught up in his own thoughts. An icy hand reached into his chest and grasped Inuyasha's heart.

Sesshoumaru stirred in his tight hold. Inuyasha looked down to meet a pair of lucid eyes and was transfixed by their purity of color. Relief relaxed the set of his shoulders and the tightness of his facial muscles eased. Inuyasha let go of his brother when Sesshoumaru began to sit up. Inuyasha let Sesshoumaru gather his bearings, understanding without words that Sesshoumaru would hate for him to ask if he was all right, instead he turned to Kagome and the monk who was still cradling her in his arms.

Not liking the sight of Kagome in anyone else's arms, he began growling beneath his breath without being aware of it. The youkai blood in him called for blood. If this had happened when he had first transformed into a full youkai, Inuyasha didn't know if he would have had the self-control to hold back his bloodlust. Now he was a little more accustomed to the effect his demonic blood had on his mindset, and he could consciously temper it with reason. Total control had not yet been reached, but he could restrain himself from killing in cold blood if he was not antagonized. So far the unidentified monk had not given him reason to kill him. So far.

"Give her to me," Inuyasha said.

**********

Kyosuke stared into the bloody eyes of a demon, and the only reason why he did as Inuyasha said was because Sesshoumaru was not objecting. Kyosuke had been around Sesshoumaru long enough to know that he was protective of Kagome. If Kagome were in danger from Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru would have killed him already, brother or not. Youkai were curiously unconcerned with familial bonds and sentimentality. Kyosuke carefully stood with Kagome and handed her limp form over to Inuyasha's waiting arms.

The affect was instantaneous as Inuyasha's crimson eyes faded until golden irises were once again surrounded by white. Elongated teeth and claws retracted. And when Kagome's eyes fluttered open, Inuyasha's expression softened. Kyosuke released a pent up breath. He faced Naraku… and felt apprehension pierce his heart when he saw the woman that stood apart from all of them, hidden within the shadow Naraku cast. 

**********

Kagome did not remain in Inuyasha's arms for long. There, she felt warm and comforted, his solid presence a welcome familiarity after the past week's craziness. But it also felt wrong to be close to him when Kikyou was a few short meters away and they were the focus of one too many pair of avid eyes. So Kagome reluctantly disentangled herself and tried to avoid Inuyasha's silent question by spending an inordinate amount of time straightening her dress.

Darting her gaze elsewhere proved fruitless, for it caused her to clash with Sesshoumaru's – he too was watching – and she stumbled a little to put distance between herself and Inuyasha, not quite grasping why his opinion mattered, but understanding that it did. Regaining a little of her composure, Kagome remembered in vivid detail what had just happened: how she had just made a fool of herself in front of these people. Embarrassment made her duck her head. A blush spread across her cheeks. To those who did not know what had transpired, it seemed as though some private communication had passed between Kagome and Sesshoumaru.

Naraku chose that awkward moment to inject his personal brand of cruelty: the soft sound of his laughter drifted on a gentle breeze to reach both youkai and human ears. Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin. She had forgotten how sinister Naraku's voice could be when he chose to use it effectively. She wanted her weapons, but they had been removed from her sometime after her fainting spell. Now bow and quiver lay too far away for her to reach them without drawing undue attention.

"What the hell's so funny?" Inuyasha demanded.

If his tone was brusque he didn't apologize for it. The sting of Kagome's rejection was sharp and unexpected. True, she might not have said anything to indicate distrust or dislike of him, but the fact that she didn't want him touching her even in such a casual manner was evidence enough that things had changed between them. He just wasn't sure if "them" meant just him and Kagome, or if that had changed to include Sesshoumaru into the equation somehow. Suspicion made him irritable. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides as youki gathered under his skin, making him tingle from inside out.

"What's so funny?" Naraku started chuckling harder. He brought long-nailed fingertips to his lips as if the flesh and bone barrier would be sufficient to muffle sound. "I come here to kill you and find a drama of fools and lovers."

Inuyasha scowled and cracked his clawed fingers. Kagome decided that she would rather be armed and ready than a sitting duck. She began working her way towards where her bow and quiver of arrows lay. Kyosuke remained leery and alert, keeping his right hand free and his left hand on the beads, ready to tear them away in a moment's notice. He was stationed at the angle to all of them, far enough away that Naraku wouldn't be able to touch him before the Air Rip sucked him through, but not so far that he would capture his allies in the Air Rip as well. Sesshoumaru's face lost all expression.

Naraku stopped laughing and let a mask of boredom drop over his features. Kikyou came level with him, close enough for him to smell her scent. Were he to shrug, their shoulders would touch. Then Naraku called on his offspring, the old creature that he had created as an experiment, and then cast into this realm as an afterthought. Now it seemed that she had a use after all. With the hag, the numbers were more even. Three against four weren't bad odds. He doubted that the girl would pose a problem. She had the uncanny luck of a cat, and her power was potent, but she lacked the experience and knowledge necessary to harness that power consciously.

"You called, Master?" With her head down cast the Gray Witch easily hid a resentment filled glare. She had been observing everything from a safe distance before Naraku's summons, hoping that a chance would present itself for her to escape his bonds of slavery. If she played her cards right, and if she had gauged her new allies correctly, then soon she would be a free person.

"Obaba," Naraku said, "keep an eye on the girl and make sure she remains alive. If she tries to run, then stop her."

****

Author's Notes:

Yo. ^_^v

Yes, yes, I know you don't want to see it, but it's time for my drivel. *cough* This chapter started out pretty tamely, ne? Inuyasha's easy to write. After all, he isn't an idiot. ^^ I know, I know that Sesshoumaru often calls him one, but still, I don't think of Inuyasha as dumb or inferior to his brother in any way, shape, or form.

__

Sesshoumaru: Right. Who do you think you're fooling?

__

Shun'u: glare Play nice, Maru-chan, or you're gonna eat dirt in the next fight.

__

Sesshoumaru: … superior stare Not in your wildest, insanity-induced imaginings.

*sweatdrop* Ahem, so as I was saying… There was an itty-bitty line influenced by Marmalade Boy in this chapter. Kudos goes to anyone who knows which one it is.

I apologize that it took this chapter so long to come out. The move from the States to Japan has been taking up my time and… well… I've just been really busy absorbing the sights in Japan. It's wonderful here and there's so much to do that I find myself easily distracted. And on top of that there's the fact that I work full time and go to school part time, and have loads of extracurricular activities…^^; I promise to be better about writing.

And to make it easier for you to find out about updates, I've set up a mailing list for my works. If you would like to be notified whenever there is a new story or chapter, please go to the following link and join the list:

http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/shunu

I will post updates to new (both fanfiction and original fiction) material here, and I'll also let you know about the progress of my fanfiction if there is significant delay between chapters. Inuyasha material will continue to be posted on the sessandkagome mailing list as well so long as it contains that pairing; this new list is for all of my material – including that of other series. Please, no spamming, chain letters (Can't stand those things!), or rampant flaming allowed. C&C are much appreciated though.


	10. Define Human

**DISCLAIMER:** All Inuyasha characters are the creation of, and © to Rumiko Takahashi, and subsequent parties. Full Circle is the creation of my demented mind, and © to Shun'u Hanashiro 2000-2002.

**Author's Notes:** _Italicized_ text (or //) can indicate private/unvoiced thoughts – or – flashback sequences. Colons [::] indicate insinuated thoughts by another character into one's subconscious. Be forewarned that all of the events prior to tankouban 14 of the manga are up for grabs in this story.

**July 2002**

**F U L L ****• C I R C L E**

**An Inuyasha Fanfiction**

By Shun'u Hanashiro

**Part 10: Define "Human"**

Naraku turned back towards Inuyasha and his allies. "Where was I? Oh, yes. Family reunions are always a bitch, don't you think?" He glanced at Kagome, "But they can also be quite interesting when you meet new relatives."

An iron fist closed around Inuyasha's heart and squeezed uncomfortably tight. "Leave her out of it, Naraku. This fight is between you and me."

"Her?" Naraku's smile was full of artifice. Kyosuke remembered that expression well. He had been a child when Naraku and his father had had their last confrontation, but he still remembered the crafty smirk and twisted words. Naraku still had a penchant for stealing bodies of beautiful people to house his bodiless spirit. The only thing that truly belonged to Naraku was his nature. _That_ was of his own making.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said through clenched teeth. His patience was nearly depleted and Naraku's constant needling was slowly eating away at the small shred left.

"Ah yes," Naraku turned his head a little to fully look at the girl in question. She had just retrieved her weapons and was clutching the flimsy-looking bow with a death grip. "Kagome. An interesting specimen of humanity... Wherever do you find these humans, Inuyasha?"

"Heh." Inuyasha saw Naraku signal his offspring to come closer with a flick of his fingers. Apparently Naraku didn't feel so confident without backup nearby. "You should know, Naraku. You were human once."

If only for a second, Inuyasha caught the arrested surprise on Naraku's face. It was enough to encourage him to continue. If he could live through a confrontation with his brother... Inuyasha smirked and finished with, "You're more human than I am."

Kagome blinked. _Well, *that's* interesting. What did you say to him, Sesshoumaru-san?_ Sesshoumaru barely stirred to life with a rustle of his sleeves. He crossed both arms across his chest indifferently. The boredom in his expression was marked. _What makes you think I did anything?_

Kagome wasn't the only person to think that Sesshoumaru was influencing his brother. Naraku looked at him askance. "Sesshoumaru-sama. How disappointed I am to find that you're collaborating with Inuyasha."

"Sesshoumaru has no part in your dispute with Inuyasha, Naraku," Sesshoumaru said in his old manner. Had Naraku known better, he would have run at the calmness of the demon lord's gently spoken words. It was the tone Sesshoumaru had taken when he had slashed Jaken in half before offhandedly reviving the little retainer. There was no question that Naraku would not be resurrected in kind. "However, there is another matter that this Sesshoumaru wishes to discuss."

Inuyasha tensed, almost expecting Sesshoumaru to turn his back on them in betrayal. Trust was hard earned and they hadn't safely bridged the gap yet. What Sesshoumaru said next threw him off balance; the youkai lord didn't do anything to confirm Inuyasha's misgivings. His actions served to mystify Inuyasha even more.

"You have something that does not belong to you."

Naraku only had one thing that Sesshoumaru might be interested in. He wasn't about to give it up any time soon. "And what would that be, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Shikon no Tama."

Only Inuyasha had enough gumption to break through the tension that fell over all of them at Sesshoumaru's bald declaration.

"Bastard." There was an interesting mix of grudging respect and ruffled annoyance. "Why do you always have to be so bloody dramatic, Sesshoumaru?"

**********

Kagome had to agree with Inuyasha, though only silently. A now familiar voice in her head told her to stay out of the confrontation. She didn't know why he wanted her to remain silent but since she would rather not attract anyone's attention anyhow, she complied, choosing instead to keep a lookout for deception.

Naraku was very nearly sneering at the demon lord. Imprudently secure in his assumption that he held all of the cards in their dangerous game and completely unaware that there were more wild cards than he had ever accounted for. Sesshoumaru could have warned him about underestimating his enemies had he the inclination; he did not.

"And what makes you think that I will give it up, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Naraku chuckled insidiously. He was still playing his mind-games. "It seems that like Inuyasha, your reason has been addled by this female. She must be special, indeed, to weaken even you." Naraku never even spared Kagome a glance as he insulted her through his tone if not his words. He was fully occupied gauging both dog demons' reactions to his words.

Predictable? Yes. However, that fact did not lessen the splendor of Inuyasha's anger as he leapt towards Naraku with the promise of a slow and painful death in his reddening eyes. The surge of youki was enough to make the trees tremble as Inuyasha met the challenge in Naraku's words and raised the wager threefold. Kyosuke watched the hanyou curiously and noticed how demonic energy crackled around Inuyasha and sparked off of everything that it came in contact with.

Kikyou stepped back into the protection of shadows. This was a new and more worthy opponent. This was an Inuyasha that she did not know. First the unwelcome realization of Inuyasha's half-brother being the fabled cold-blooded Lord of the Western Lands, then the presence of yet another troublesome houshi, and now this? The scales had just tipped drastically against Naraku's favor and she liked that not at all. She needed to withdraw and rethink her plans. Let Naraku fight a losing battle.

Preparing to depart, a sense of danger, the weight of a malevolent stare, made her look back. What she saw did not reassure her. While Inuyasha and Naraku were engaged in their duel, the demon lord had not moved. But… his eyes were watchful. Not allowing a single emotion or thought to cross her face – not even concern for Inuyasha as he began what could well be a fatal battle against Naraku – Kikyou met eyes two shades warmer than Inuyasha's clear golden ones, and learned why so many feared his half-brother.

Cold. Unyielding. Cruel. Merciless…

So many more words could be used to describe Inuyasha's half-brother. Where Inuyasha was all fire – quick to anger and just as quick to forgive – this one was colder than a midwinter's night when the northern winds raged and ice abounded. He could not be moved like Inuyasha could be: through sentiment, compassion, and nostalgia. He would not. What made Inuyasha special amongst youkai was his humanity, something that was completely lacking in the demon lord. As was expected of a full-blooded youkai… except that even youkai had emotions. Raw and unrefined though they were, youkai knew how to feel emotions on some level. Not the demon lord. Inuyasha might be the one with the temper and flamboyant expressions, but that only made him a creature of nature. In stark contrast, Sesshoumaru was a wild creature… a force of nature that would _shape _the world around him rather than allowing _it _to shape _him_.

Kikyou knew in that instant that she never wanted to face off with this demon lord. Either in a fair battle or one predisposed in her favor, she would lose – maybe not necessarily because he was smarter, faster, or stronger, but simply because _he_ didn't know how to lose. Not when it truly mattered to him.

**********

The priestess's thoughts were easy to read. Although her face showed nothing, her entire posture was tense. In one sweep he assessed her as a possible threat and then dismissed her as an equal to Naraku: human, undead, corrupted, weak… _Inuyasha loves this… thing…_ Thoroughly disgusted, he wondered what the hell his brother was thinking to even consider spending his life with her. _Obviously he wasn't thinking at all. Foolish, naïve, sentimental Inuyasha… you need to learn that not all things are worth fighting for. Don't you know that she's more likely to kill you in your sleep than spend eternity faithfully by your side?_

Tethered spirits were crying, screaming in his head. Begging anyone who could hear them to be freed from their prison of earth and bones. Translucent whitish forms were writhing in and about Kikyou's earthen body, trapped there by her superior power and unwillingly feeding her life. Every few minutes he would hear one screech louder in its death toll, and then the spirit would wither away to nothing. Consumed by Kikyou's hungry, incomplete soul. Her will to live was incredibly strong to be able to do such a thing, but that did not lessen the revulsion he felt. Being who and what he was, he was able to hear the cries and pleas… the incessant anguish. She was a cruel-hearted woman to continue her vengeful quest without a care for the ones she sacrificed.

_Completely different from Kagome... _Sesshoumaru watched her fly away indifferently. _Let Inuyasha deal with his own problems so long as none of it reflects on the family name. If he has not tarnished it already… This constant drama is tiresome._

**********

There was little room left for thought as Inuyasha moved faster than he ever had in his life. All of the aches and pains, all of the worries, all of the long hours of searching were forgotten as he was revitalized by youkai fury and bloodlust. Releasing the constant leash he held on his youkai blood was easy without Tetsusaiga's inhibiting properties to mute his heritage. Maybe too easy… but the worry came and went with barely any notice from Inuyasha as he attempted to engage in hand to hand combat with Naraku who dodged with frustrating alacrity.

From a safe distance, Kagome watched. Anxiety colored her vision and made every strike between Inuyasha and Naraku seem like the one that would end Inuyasha's life. Her hands clenched and unclenched around the bow and quiver that she held so tightly. Every time a drop of Inuyasha's blood fell to the ground, she winced. For each hit that Inuyasha landed on Naraku she silently cheered. She knew that it was more likely to be Naraku's puppet than his true form that Inuyasha was battling but it felt good to see Inuyasha get the upper hand. And through it all the others were silent. Kyosuke simply had no history with Inuyasha to truly care for the hanyou. He hoped for Naraku's demise, certainly, but that was about all he felt in the matter. Kikyou?

Kagome turned to look for the priestess. "Where's Kikyou?"

"She has fled," Sesshoumaru said coolly.

"Fled?" Kyosuke asked. "Should we worry about that?"

"No need…" Sesshoumaru considered the air of remoteness about the priestess. "She will not trouble us today. The priestess has nothing to gain from Inuyasha winning and she knows that he will."

Hopeful, Kagome asked. "Do you really think…?"

"Undoubtedly." Sesshoumaru noted that Inuyasha's strength and speed had improved. Still… giving Inuyasha compliments was… distasteful. "The idiot has no excuses for losing against a mere puppet."

Kyosuke rolled his eyes in Sesshoumaru's direction. "Is he always this disagreeable?"

Kagome was about to say "no" but one glance at the forbidding demon lord had the word stick in her throat. No, Sesshoumaru did not want anyone to know that he was capable of kindness. Kagome sighed, "Yes, unfortunately."

**********

The Gray Witch followed Kikyou's trail with ease. She blended into the darkness so well that she became a part of it. Undistinguishable from any of the other shadows cast beneath the morning light. So far the priestess had not addressed her, although Kikyou must have felt her presence. _Incredible… that she still exists to this day… the protector of the Shikon no Tama and the destroyer of evil has become everything that she sought to banish from the world. How like Naraku to cause such an abomination to come into creation. After all… he did create me… and Urasue was my sister._

"Naraku's firstborn… old witch, come out."

"Kikyou-sama."

Kikyou faced the haggard crone with a blank stare. "What do you desire from me?"

"Freedom, priestess," the Gray Witch answered truthfully. Naraku would lose, but she did not want to stake her freedom on his defeat.

Kikyou looked deeply into the old woman's eyes. Eyes dark gray like her own but with a fathomless aspect to them that lent her weathered features a strange and ageless quality. _Something so familiar about those eyes… I cannot place it…_

"What makes you think that I, Kikyou, would aid your escape from Naraku's bonds? You are his spawn, are you not?" Kikyou looked beyond the witch to see Inuyasha and Naraku move their battlefield to the treetops. Both were slowing down, but neither was giving in to the other. "Should you not be loyal to he who has created you, who has given you life?"

"If that were the case, then you would be loyal to Kagome, the child from whom you were created and without whom you would not exist," the Gray Witch dared to say. Kikyou looked like someone had just slapped her. "But things are not always so simple, are they, Kikyou-sama?"

"Witch," Kikyou hissed. "You dare!"

"I dare," gray clashed with gray, "because I know what it is like to live in the shadow of another."

"What would you know?" Kikyou asked, not comprehending what the witch was telling her. "You are naught but a part of him."

"A part created from the pieces of his soul that he hated the most."

Taken aback yet again by the old woman, Kikyou stared. Then a smile formed. "I see… so… you are his humanity."

"I am the forsaken child," she said softly. "Loved and hated most by Naraku, my father; and unknown by my mother. Will you help me, Kikyou-sama?"

_She might have some uses…_ "Come with me."

**********

"Come back here, Naraku!" Inuyasha yelled at the retreating baboon pelt.

"Shouldn't we help him?" Kyosuke asked.

"…"

Sesshoumaru ignored the houshi and watched as Inuyasha leapt to meet Naraku midair. Inuyasha's claws had lengthened and curved into razor sharp sickles. He had almost fully transformed into his full-blood form. Eyes red, face marked with purple bolts of lightning, and fangs curving over his lower lip. Inuyasha looked similar to himself and yet dissimilar at the same time. _Hm… a crude imitation… yet somehow adequate to fight a creature such as Naraku… _Sesshoumaru ignored his conscience as it told him that he was being too severe with Inuyasha.

"It's all right, Kyosuke-sama," Kagome was saying from beside him, "We'll know when to do something. If we act too soon then Naraku will escape and we won't be able to find a way out of here."

"If Inuyasha cannot handle this battle on his own," Sesshoumaru finally looked away from Inuyasha and stated frostily, "then he is unfit to wield Tetsusaiga."

Kagome immediately took umbrage at his attitude and glared at him, "Sesshoumaru! That's unfair. You can't judge Inuyasha—"

"Can I not?"

Kyosuke coughed. "Perhaps now isn't the time?" He reminded them.

Kagome snapped her teeth together and continued the conversation privately. _Ooh! It's so irritating when you take on that tone._

Sesshoumaru glared right back at her. _And what tone might that be? Don't forget whom you're speaking to, girl._

_You know what tone, Sesshoumaru! That I'm-the-almighty-Lord-Sesshoumaru-and-no-one-can-cross-me tone. _His brows arched and she could read his thoughts only too clearly – despite the fact that Sesshoumaru didn't utter a single thing either vocally or mentally. Her understanding had nothing to do with their link whatsoever. _Overbearing brute! Ooh!_ Kagome stomped away from him to prevent any hasty actions on her part, such as the possibility of smacking that arrogant look off of his face.

Kyosuke got the sense that he had been forgotten. Again. He sighed. Resigned to the fact that yet another opportunity for procreating was slipping through his fingers.

**********

Naraku was playing with him. Tempting him with the possibility of success, then pulling back at the very last minute only to laugh in his face. Inuyasha felt familiar frustration eat at him. Every attempt he made was just another failure.

::Failure? How apropos…:: Naraku laughed in his head. ::You always were a failure at everything, weren't you Inuyasha. Failure at being a son; failure at being a youkai; failure at protecting your beloved mother; failure at love… always have been, always will be a failure, won't you? What difference would it make for you to fail once more? Par for the course, don't you think?::

Inuyasha flew at Naraku with renewed determination and rage. Naraku was laying his private demons bare in the most despicable manner possible. If it had been months ago, even days ago, he might have caved and given into weakness: he might have surrendered to the pain and given up as Naraku obviously intended for him to do.

Now… now things were different…

Things had changed…

To the untrained eye he seemed to be attacking wildly, arms swinging without a specific sighted target. To his brother who watched intently from below, his strategy was effective against Naraku. The baboon pelt made it even easier for Inuyasha to succeed, for its weight hindered Naraku's movements and slowed his speed. Effect at the cost of efficiency – Inuyasha's strategy took full advantage of Naraku's vanity.

First he swung with his right hand then followed with his left just as Naraku anticipated. But while Naraku expected him to stop there to recoup, Inuyasha continued with his momentum and plowed into Naraku. He forced Naraku back by tackling him with his lowered right shoulder, twisting his torso at the last moment before contact in order to put the most power into his attack. Naraku flew backwards from the force, his baboon pelt obscuring his vision and rendering him momentarily blind. In that moment of blindness Inuyasha landed. A fully transformed Inuyasha didn't waste precious time on letting Naraku recover or goad him further into making hasty mistakes with his poisonous words. Bloodlust was upon him and Tetsusaiga was far, far away.

Inuyasha went in for the kill. Shredding the baboon pelt within moments and exposing Naraku's face at last.

Naraku's very pale, very human face… round-faced and still reeking of milk, the youth had barely put his foot across the threshold of adulthood before Naraku had taken his body.

And just as Inuyasha was about to strike the deathblow, just as his claws began to pierce the delicate skin of the neck and draw blood, Naraku's face morphed before Inuyasha's horrified eyes. The round cheeks hollowed out and the planes flattened to form sharper, higher cheekbones. Eyebrows arched into graceful wings. Brown hair darkened to an inky black, lengthened and straightened until not a curl remained. Only the skin remained the same unblemished ivory… except for where his claws had just barely pierced her neck.

"Kikyou…"

Kagome whispered, "Naraku… how heartless… to do such a thing…"

Inuyasha drew away in a rush and curled up into himself. Now he was back in his hanyou form and able to cry through his human blood.

"Even Inuyasha does not deserve this cruelty…" Sesshoumaru commented remotely, surprising Kyosuke with his sensitivity to the moment – no matter how cloaked it was by his innate austerity.

The Kikyou look-alike reached up to trace Inuyasha's silently falling tears. "Inuyasha, my love. Why do you cry? At last we are together again."

"Kikyou, I almost–" Inuyasha shook his head of whatever thought he was about to put into words. Some of the shock had worn off and his bearings were returning to him. Golden eyes hardened. "Naraku," he snarled furiously. "Coward! Hiding behind a woman's face. Show yourself!"

Kagome could have sworn that she saw a flash of self-doubt in Inuyasha's face, but the unfolding drama distracted her from thinking further on the matter. She edged a little closer to Inuyasha and Naraku's puppet.

Kikyou said, "But I'm real, Inuyasha. Can't you tell?" She raised her right arm and let her sleeve drop to her elbow. "Do you see? This is proof. It's the scar you gave me the first time we met. Don't you remember? You were spying on me…"

"You called me out and I knocked you down so you couldn't follow me." Inuyasha wavered in his resolve.

Kikyou then turned her forearm over to reveal five long scratches from the inside of her elbow to the pulse-point at her wrist. "And this is from when we fought over the jewel… you tried to grab it from me and grabbed my elbow instead. When you didn't let go your claws cut into my arm and left these marks."

"I remember," Inuyasha said. His voice was barely audible in its hoarseness.

"I'm real, Inuyasha." Gray eyes pleaded with him. "I'm real. Please believe me."

"Stop!"

"Kagome…" Inuyasha said softly.

"Stop your games," Kagome was staring at Kikyou's image.

"You…" Tears left thin, watery trails on Kikyou's face. "You're the one who ruined everything."

"You're not real," Kagome said gently.

"YES!" Kikyou turned to Inuyasha. "Yes, I am real. Inuyasha, you believe me, don't you? I'm human. I bleed the same as you. I love the same as you."

"You hate," Kagome whispered. "You hate and destroy. Maybe you were human once, but that was a long time ago."

Kikyou gestured at her form. "What am I then?" She looked at Inuyasha and demanded, "What else can I be if not human?" Inuyasha damned himself for wanting to believe her.

Sesshoumaru's voice cut through the games and lies. "You are an effigy."

It was so much easier for him. Emotions did not cloud his vision. He had nothing invested in this Kikyou. He had neither history, nor present, nor future dependent on her existence. Inuyasha held too much guilt and unrequited love for Kikyou; Kagome had too many fears that she had not as yet addressed. He suffered from none of those worries, and it made matters so much clearer.

Kikyou said angrily, "You are the one who is inhuman, Lord Sesshoumaru. You've killed without remorse innumerable beings. You've never cared for their lives or their families. Who are you to say that I, Kikyou, am not human when you haven't any humanity in you?"

"I am Sesshoumaru. That was the name bestowed upon me at birth by my lord father, and it is the name that I will carry unto death by my lady mother's will." He regarded the puppet. "As for humanity… In my travels throughout these lands, I have observed that humanity is not something one is born with, but a trait learned through kindness and compassion. You were shown these things at one time, were you not, Naraku? And yet you still haven't learned what it means to be humane. That would seem to indicate a certain… inadequacy of intelligence on your part."

"Don't let him–" Kyosuke's yell came too late, "…escape…"

Naraku's puppet had already disintegrated into dust…

"I will not forget this affront, Sesshoumaru-sama," Naraku's disembodied voice ricocheted against the slowly melting trees. "We could have been great allies, but you chose to let her bewitch you. Don't think that I do not see… your weakness."

"I think that our time has run out," Inuyasha said. He was drained from the whole ordeal. He lacked even the energy to argue with Naraku's accusations.

"It certainly appears that way," Kyosuke agreed grimly.

The Gray Dimension was collapsing around them. Whatever spell Naraku had used to create it was either weakening or, more likely, he was deliberately obliterating the dimension from existence. And of course it had to be while they were still trapped in it without a means of escape.

"What are we going to do?" Kagome asked. Her feet were beginning to sink into the ground as it softened and became pliant.

Inuyasha watched her hop onto a rock to keep from sinking into the earth only to have it deflate like one of the balloons she once brought from her time to entertain Shippou. _Bah, balloon animals. Who ever thought of such nonsense anyhow? They must be stupid in the future or something._ But the thought of Shippou, Miroku, Sango and Kaede gave his spirits a much-needed boost. "We're gonna get outta here," he said with some of his old fire.

"And how would you suggest we do that, oh brilliant one?"

"Shut up, Sesshoumaru! I don't hear you having any great ideas."

_Oh boy… here we go again…_

"You presume that I would bother to share my thoughts with you."

"Seemed mouthy enough with Naraku. Oh, I forgot." Inuyasha smacked a palm to his forehead. "The two of you are pretty much cut from the same cloth. You can probably share notes on methods for maiming and torturing people."

"Inuyasha… you have no idea how lucky you are that you're my brother. Otherwise I would have rid the world of your idiocy years ago to spare it the possibility of you breeding. I doubt it not that your mate would be equally idiotic and therefore your children are bound to have the most inferior of gene pools."

"Sesshoumaru…" Inuyasha growled. His youki was rising again and he was actually trembling from holding himself back.

Kagome sighed.

Kyosuke sidled up to her. "Kagome-sama, I think I have a plan."

She looked hopefully at him. "Oh? What is it, Kyosuke-sama?"

He held up his cursed hand.

Both dog demons stopped arguing.

"Houshi," Sesshoumaru said, "you cannot."

Inuyasha scowled, "Why the hell not? It's how Miroku sent me… oh…"

Kyosuke grinned at them. "Don't worry about me, Sesshoumaru. I've got other tricks up these sleeves. Besides, I still have to avenge my family curse. I won't give up until Naraku's dead by my hands. This isn't the end of Kyosuke yet."

"Kyosuke-sama…" Kagome felt tears well. "You can't do this."

"Of course I can," he said with his usual cheer, not giving them any warning before he released the Air Rip upon them.

[End Part 10]

**Author's Notes:**

Sorry for the _long_ delay in this chapter. Hope it lives up to expectations. ^_^ Please review if you like… or not… *grin* Thank you to all of you who have left reviews or emailed me about this fanfic. I really appreciate that you took the time to write. My apologies if I haven't replied; I've kind of lost track of all my email accounts over time… ^^;; Working on recouping them, but a lot of the emails I've recently recovered are ancient. Hmm… back to 2001, if I recall correctly.

For fanfiction updates, discussion, or questions, please join my mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/shunu. You can always email me at shunu@fanfiction.net _or_ h_shunu@hotmail.com.

**Next to come… err… sometime in the near/distant future ^_^:**

_Full Circle …11…_

_Full Circle: The Side Stories …2…_

_Labor Pains …4…_

_When the Caged Bird Sings …4…_

_Orpheus' Cry (on indefinite hold)_

**Definitions:**

Same old, same old: hanyou, houshi, youkai, youki. That's about it. They're all the same as before.


	11. Surely, You Jest

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DISCLAIMER: All Inuyasha characters are the creation of, and © to Rumiko Takahashi, and subsequent parties. Full Circle is the creation of my demented mind, and © to Shun'u Hanashiro 2000-2003.

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Author's Notes: _Italicized_ text (or //) can indicate private/unvoiced thoughts – or – flashback sequences. Colons [::] indicate insinuated thoughts by another character into one's subconscious. Be forewarned that all of the events prior to tankouban 14 of the manga are up for grabs in this story.

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December 2002

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F U L L • C I R C L E

An Inuyasha Fanfiction

By Shun'u Hanashiro

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Part 11: Surely, You Jest

•|• Epilogue •|•

A couple of months had passed since that eventful day. The day when Kyosuke, Miroku's thought-to-be-dead father, had saved their lives at the sacrifice of his own – no one knew whether or not Kyosuke had somehow managed to survive the Air Rip and the Gray Dimension. Kagome sighed as she remembered landing in the shallow riverbank near Kaede's village.

**********

__

Flashback…

"Son of a bitch!"

Kagome shoved tendrils of sopping wet hair out of her eyes to see Inuyasha swearing a blue streak and flapping his soaking sleeves as he angrily raised a fist to the heavens. Torn between affectionate scolding and laughter, Kagome opted instead to rise from the shallow and chilly water.

"You might want to reconsider that," said a sardonic voice from her right.

Kagome blinked at Sesshoumaru incomprehensibly for a brief moment before following his gaze. Much to her horror, she discovered that the silky white dress had been transformed by the water from elegant to… to… her mind completely blanked out. Either it refused to provide the appropriate word or there simply was no way to describe how the fabric had become indecently sheer and… clingy…

"Eeek! Hentai!" Kagome dropped back into the water.

Sesshoumaru flinched from the volume of her scream and hastily covered the highly sensitive ear nearest to her.

"What're you screaming about now, wench?!" Inuyasha demanded. He had both ears flattened protectively against his head and was scowling at her.

"Don't yell at me, Inuyasha," Kagome warned irritably.

"What the hell's your problem?" Inuyasha jumped and landed right in front of her. He crouched down. "Why's your face all red? And how come you're still sitting in the water? What are ya, stupid or something? Get up already before you get sick and I have to carry you all over the place. "

With each word Inuyasha threw at her, Kagome felt her patience wither until finally it reached its limit.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome smiled sweetly. Inuyasha sputtered to a halt.

"Ka- Kagome?"

"Sit."

Inuyasha landed face first in the water.

Sesshoumaru sighed and rubbed his aching temples. "Idiot."

Then he looked at the girl who was the primary cause of Inuyasha's idiocy. Thoroughly drenched but unwilling to chance her modesty, Kagome sat in the waist deep water with arms crossed protectively over her chest and continued to glare at his half-brother. A rare smile threatened to overcome his self-control, but Sesshoumaru somehow managed to defeat it. He shook his head and realized that he really didn't have any other options.

Kagome squeaked indignantly when a damp cloth was dropped unceremoniously on her head. Pulling off the offending material, Kagome turned to glare at whomever had tossed it at her when she paused to look at the cloth. She instantly recognized the dove-gray of Sesshoumaru's shirt.

__

Hmm… if the shirt's in my hand… then…

In the space of two seconds Kagome's face turned about six different shades of red. She quickly averted her flaming face from what was certain to be a shirtless youkai.

__

Ack! What's wrong with me?! Kagome patted her overly warm cheeks, more than a little desperate for them to return to their usual color lest one of the dog-demon brothers notice her dilemma. _Snap out of it Kagome! It's not like you haven't seen Inuyasha half-naked before. There's no difference now with his brother. So stop blushing already!_

"Oi, Kagome," Inuyasha, now recovered, said gruffly. "What're you doing?"

Kagome bit her lip. "Nothing, nothing." Her conscience decided to remind her that she had just "sat" him in the cold riverbank "Um… I'm sorry for doing that to you in the water." Kagome looked over her shoulder at him guiltily. "Are you okay, Inuyasha?"

A tinge of pink colored Inuyasha's cheeks. "I'm fine." He met her concerned blue eyes for a brief second before quickly looking away. Inuyasha coughed. "Where's Sesshoumaru?"

She whipped about. Indeed, the Lord of the Western Lands was nowhere to be seen. Kagome absently slipped the gray shirt on and wrapped it about her torso as she would a kimono since what fit Sesshoumaru was many sizes too large for her.

"He's gone…" Disappointed beyond her understanding, Kagome fought not to frown. She reasoned to herself that she had wanted to thank Sesshoumaru for his help. Yes, that was the reason for the disappointment that was surging through her veins.

"Feh," Inuyasha said. "Good riddance. I'm surprised the bastard didn't demand Tetsusaiga from me again. It's about time he accepts that Father left that sword for me."

Kagome willed her tongue to stay silent. It simply was not her place to intercede in the brothers' relationship. Sesshoumaru would most likely be more angered by her perceived interference than thankful anyhow.

__

End Flashback…

**********

"Kagome-sama?"

Kagome turned to greet the man approaching her on silent feet. "Miroku-sama. How are you doing?"

"Very well." Miroku sat on an adjacent stone and joined her in stargazing. The night was bright. All of the stars were competing to outshine one another. "And yourself?"

Kagome barely stifled a telltale sigh. "I'm fine."

Miroku watched for a moment, noticing how she would visibly suppress a wistful smile here, a longing sigh there. It bothered him very much, this sweet yearning of hers for something out of reach. She hid it well. Miroku highly doubted that anyone else had noticed just how much Kagome had changed. _From an innocent girl to a young woman in the span of a week… What happened during that time? I wonder._

"You've been out here for a while, Kagome-sama. It's getting late."

"Are the others…?"

"They've all turned in for the night," Miroku confirmed. The golden rings on his staff jingled as he shifted to a more comfortable position. "Except for Inuyasha, of course. He's sitting in a tree somewhere, I'm sure." Miroku thought of what a pretty picture she made when she almost pouted at hearing what Inuyasha was presently doing.

"Well." Kagome rose and dusted off the skirt of her school uniform. "We should get some rest as well, shouldn't we? Tomorrow's going to be a busy day."

Miroku smiled and tilted his head in the direction of the village. "You go ahead, Kagome-sama. I think I'll keep the stars company for a little while longer."

"Un. Don't be long." Kagome bowed slightly. "Good night, Miroku-sama."

The smile stayed in place until Kagome was out of sight. Only then did Miroku allow his concern to show. "What happened to you, Kagome? What did he do that makes you behave like a woman in love?"

**********

"Inuyasha."

"Aniki…" Inuyasha instinctively tightened his grip on Tetsusaiga.

"No need for that, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru leapt from his place high in the trees to land on silent feet next to Inuyasha and the Old God Tree. "I have come with a warning."

Inuyasha glared at his brother and uttered an angry growl. He saw Sesshoumaru narrow his amber eyes into near slits in reaction but did not feel any threat from the older demon.

"Not a challenge, idiot, a warning." Sesshoumaru arched his brow patronizingly. "You _do_ know the difference, do you not?"

"Fuck you, bastard!"

The Western Lord smirked. "I'm not the illegitimate one, brother dear."

Inuyasha hissed in irritation. _I have a damned cold fish for a brother. What the hell does it take to get to him?!_ "Just tell me what the hell you want and leave, Sesshoumaru."

The blink of an eye and Sesshoumaru's countenance did a complete one-eighty. The condescension disappeared and solemnity took its place.

"Naraku is trying to court me into being his ally."

Inuyasha snorted and folded his arms. "He's already over his grudge? Thought he said that he'd never forgive you for helping me, or some sorta shit."

"The bastard's fickle," Sesshoumaru said flatly, "and he's manipulative."

"So what did you tell him?" Inuyasha asked bluntly, not bothering to disguise the suspicion in his tone.

Sesshoumaru leveled a frosty, expressionless stare at Inuyasha that made his younger brother shift uncomfortably.

"Sheesh. It was just a question!"

"An unwarranted question."

"The hell, you say!" Inuyasha glared accusingly. "You've helped him before, Sesshoumaru."

"I used the resources available to me. I have never helped that creature."

"Cutting it a little close, aren't we, Aniki?" Inuyasha taunted.

Although the day had been hot and humid, and that moist heat still lingered over the earth, the temperature in the forest dropped as it stilled. Inuyasha felt his canines vibrate in response to the wintry youki as it surged in waves against the leash of Sesshoumaru's control.

"Fuck," Inuyasha whispered.

"Have you finished?" Sesshoumaru deftly re-absorbed the youki he had briefly allowed to ride freely in the night air.

Inuyasha gasped at the suddenness of the youki's disappearance. He could suddenly breathe again. A single thought rang clearly in his mind. _He's been holding back. All of this time, he's been holding back._

"I came to warn you not only of Naraku, but also of that witch you pine after."

Inuyasha started to protest, but was stopped by Sesshoumaru's impatient cutting gesture. "You would be a fool to not recognize the threat that she poses to you. Do not let your feelings cloud your judgment, Inuyasha."

Sesshoumaru waited for his words to work their way into Inuyasha's mind. He could not fully explain to Inuyasha how important it was for him to be wary of the witch – going into any further detail risked telling Inuyasha of Kagome's near death at Kikyou's hands. And he had promised his silence in the matter. Perhaps one day would come when he would throw honor to the winds, but that day had not yet come.

Seeing the caution in Inuyasha's eyes, Sesshoumaru made to leave, only to be halted by a single, secretly cherished word.

"Aniki…"

Sesshoumaru glanced back over his left shoulder in waiting silence.

"If…" Inuyasha clenched and unclenched his clawed fingers. He did not like being indebted to anyone and what he was about to ask would put him forever in his brother's debt.

"If anything were to happen to me…" Inuyasha drew a heartening breath and rushed the rest of his request, "pleasetakecareofher."

Both of Sesshoumaru's eyebrows shot skyward in astonishment. Inuyasha continued as if his brother hadn't understood him perfectly the first time.

"If I die, please watch over Kagome and," Inuyasha turned his head, "and make sure that she gets home safe. Make sure that nothing happens to her."

The silence dredged on. Worse than a funeral or the quiet of impending doom, worse than the stillness of a corpse.

Then…

Sesshoumaru said…

"Surely, you jest."

Inuyasha growled impatiently. "I'm not joking!"

Sesshoumaru let his fingertips graze Tenseiga's hilt where it rested comfortably against his left hip, but otherwise did a fair imitation of a white marble statue.

"Don't pretend that you don't care, Aniki." Inuyasha narrowed his eyes accusingly. "I saw how protective you were of Kagome back then, in the air rip dimension. You can't deny it."

Sesshoumaru, by this time, was vexed.

"Do _not_ presume to tell me, Sesshoumaru, what I can and cannot do. You my be my blood kin, Inuyasha, but that does not give you any special rights or privileges other than what I grant you."

Inuyasha was nearly stunned into a stupor. "You pompous ass! Do you ever stop to listen to yourself? All I'm asking is that you help Kagome if I can't. There's no reason to get all huffy with me, you stuck up son-of-a-bitch."

Sesshoumaru bit back a snarl and forcibly uncurled his fisted hand.

"Fine. I will take care of the girl, since it is pitifully obvious that you are incapable of doing the simple task competently."

"What did you just say?!"

****

•|• End Full Circle •|•

Definitions:

• Sengoku Jidai: Japan's "Era of the Warring States", this was a feudal period in which clans across Japan battled for domination and land.

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• Youkai: demon

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• Youki: demonic energy

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• Hanyou: half-demon

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• Shikon no Tama: "Jewel of Four Souls" Breaking down the Japanese words, this is literally [FOUR SOUL(s) (particle indicating possession) JEWEL/SPHERE/BEAD], however one must use a lot of context clues when translating Japanese. =P

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• Houshi: wandering monk? … I have to look this up. (Gomen ^^;)

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Author's Notes:

Aah… The End! At last! ^_^ You're probably all shaking your heads and grumbling, "about time…" aren't you. Can't blame you. I just don't have the leisure to write like I used to. Miss it, but there's no helping for real life taking up all of my time and attention. Thank you for reading the story and taking the time to email or review. It's been great reading all of your comments. They've been really encouraging and helped me along whenever writer's block struck. Sorry I can't respond to everyone's reviews individually. Just wanted to say that I really appreciate each and every one of them.

_Shun'u_


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